After introducing ourselves to each other, Zion and I finally entered the academy.
We walked side by side along the wide, stone-paved pathway lined with tall trees, joining the steady stream of students heading toward the main campus grounds.
"So you do know that guy from before."
Zion said as we were walking to the venue of the opening ceremony.
He kept his hands in his pockets, glancing over at me with a curious look as we navigated through the crowd.
"Yes and no."
I replied.
He looked at me asking for an explanation, and I just did that.
I took a quiet breath, keeping my tone relaxed so no one walking nearby would notice anything strange about our conversation.
"He’s from the Frostguard family as well, but he’s not from the main family—I haven’t seen him until now."
I told him.
"But, why were you so scared of meeting someone from your family?"
Zion asked, genuinely confused.
He tilted his head slightly, trying to make sense of why a noble son would be terrified to the point of gathering offensive mana just at the sight of a relative.
I guess the issue happening around the Frostguard family isn’t known to the public—the elders are hiding the fact they want to kill Vael really well.
To the outside world, the Frostguard house was still a prestigious, noble lineage standing strong. They had managed to sweep all their internal purges and assassination attempts completely under the rug, maintaining a clean public image.
I looked at Zion for a while, he really looks like the character I was controlling in the game.
He walked with that same easygoing posture, completely unbothered by the stares of other students passing by.
I know his personality.
He was the classic main character—honest to a fault, fiercely loyal to anyone he considered a friend, and completely incapable of ignoring someone in trouble.
And so, opening my mouth—
"My parents are the patriarch and matriarch of the Frostguard family; they both died recently due to an accident inside a dungeon gate. You might’ve seen it in the news before."
I decided to tell him my situation.
I paused for a second, letting the weight of those words settle before continuing.
"After their deaths, the elders of the main branch immediately took control of the family assets. Since I’m the direct heir to the main line, my existence is nothing more than a threat to their authority. They want to eliminate me so they can permanently solidify their power."
Knowing his character—Zion will probably feel bad for me.
It was a calculated move on my part, but it was also the absolute truth of Vael’s tragic reality.
Having the main character of the world take my side is never a bad thing.
In a world where story events and dangerous plotlines were bound to happen left and right, having the protagonist’s trust right from day one was the strongest shield I could ever ask for.
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*****
By the time we reached the auditorium building—the venue of the opening ceremony—I finished my short story.
We stopped near the massive double doors of the building, where the chatter of hundreds of students echoed from inside.
"So that’s why you were willing to go and launch an attack in the public just to escape from that man."
Zion said after hearing that.
He looked at me with a serious expression, his previous casual demeanor completely replaced by deep sympathy and concern.
"Yeah, that’s why you really saved me back there."
I told him.
I gave him a faint, grateful smile, letting him know how much his sudden interference had truly meant.
"Haha, then I’m glad to be of help."
Zion replied with a bright smile on his face.
He rubbed the back of his neck, his cheerful mood returning instantly as he gave me a light pat on the shoulder.
We looked inside the massive auditorium and saw the place packed with new students, there are also people on the stage. It looks like the opening ceremony is starting.
The sheer size of the hall was incredible, with rows upon rows of seats filled to capacity and bright magic spotlights illuminating the main stage at the far end.
"Looks like we’re still late."
Zion remarked, chuckling softly as he looked at the crowded aisles.
"Let’s go inside."
I said, pointing toward the open doors.
"See you around."
Zion said, stepping toward a different section of the seating area to find an open spot.
"Yeah, nice meeting you again, Zion."
I replied, waving my hand slightly.
"Nice meeting you too, good luck to both of us."
Zion called back over his shoulder with a confident grin.
"Let’s have a good academy life."
I added as he walked off into the crowd.
Zion and I entered the auditorium and we parted ways.
He headed toward the central seating block, while I slipped quietly along the side aisle, looking for a familiar face among the sea of unfamiliar uniforms.
I took out my phone and messaged Cindy after that, telling her that I’m in the auditorium now and got inside the academy safely.
My fingers typed rapidly on the screen, sending a quick update so she wouldn’t spend the entire ceremony worrying about my fate.
I also informed Ahri that.
I drafted a short, polite message to her as well, thanking her once again and confirming that I had crossed the gates without any issues.
I received a reply from them fast, expressing their relief about the news.
My phone vibrated twice in my hand. Cindy sent a brief, sharp message telling me not to do anything stupid, while Ahri sent a long, warm text filled with relief and encouragement.
I was happy to see that they’re really concerned about my safety.
It felt strange having people who genuinely cared whether I lived or died in this world, but it brought a quiet warmth to my chest.
Anyway, I met up with Cindy after that, and thankfully—she saved a seat beside her for me.
She was sitting near the middle-back row, keeping her bag placed on the empty chair next to her until I arrived.
"I told you I will be fine."
I said as I sat down beside her.
I picked up her bag, handed it back to her, and slid into the chair with a heavy breath.
"Yeah yeah, I’m just glad that you got inside no problem."
She responded with a smile.
She crossed her arms, looking me up and down to make sure I wasn’t hiding any injuries before relaxing in her seat.
After that, we just sat down throughout the opening ceremony—it’s just the start of the day and the academy.
The headmaster took the stage, his deep voice carrying across the entire hall through amplification magic as he delivered the standard welcoming speech about honor, strength, and academic excellence.
But honestly... I was already out of energy because of that close call at the gate.
The physical and mental exhaustion from dodging pursuers, sprinting through back alleys, and almost engaging in a high-stakes magic fight right at the threshold had completely drained my stamina.
But my attention did get piqued after named characters appeared one by one on the stage.
As the faculty members and top-tier student representatives were introduced, my eyes widened slightly.
The heroines, Zion’s rivals, the named professors and npc.
There were the main love interests standing in a crisp line, the arrogant noble rivals who would cause trouble later, and the powerful instructors whose stats I used to study on my screen.
Seeing them come to life was really always fascinating. Now, I really feel like I’m inside [The Star Academy].
The reality of my situation fully sank in. This wasn’t just a screen with text and character portraits anymore; it was my living, breathing world now.
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*****
After the opening ceremony, it was time for us to go to our respective classes.
The loud chatter filled the halls as thousands of students flooded out of the auditorium, checking their digital schedules on their phones.
Cindy and I are from different class, and so—
We stopped at the junction leading to the main academic towers.
"See you later."
Cindy said, giving me a nod before turning toward her designated building.
"Good luck on your first day, Cindy."
I said, watching her head off into the busy hallway.
We parted ways. Although the building where our class in are the same, we’re on different floors. The academy have different buildings per grade-level after all.
The freshman complex was a massive, multi-story structure made of polished stone and glass, designed to accommodate all the new students across various specialized tracks.
I navigated my way toward the freshman building using the exclusive map app for students of the academy in my phone, and after finding it—I started searching for my classroom.
My section was sent to me through message, but I already know it beforehand from the game.
I scrolled through my notifications, confirming the assignment that had already been permanently etched into my memory from my time playing the game.
Even the structure of the building was all too familiar for me.
The layout of the staircases, the placement of the lockers, and the long corridors lined with the doors matched the game’s background art with scary accuracy.
I walked inside the building with confidence, each of my step were deliberate and sure. I climbed all the way to the third-floor, and there; I saw my section.
The polished brass plaque mounted right beside the tall wooden door clearly read:
[Class 1-F]
It’s not the lowest section, but it sure not a good one to be in.
The classes were ranked from A to G based on entrance examination scores and initial mana assessments, meaning Class 1-F was reserved for low-tier nobles, late bloomers, and students with unstable stats.
I was about to reach toward the handle and enter inside, but before I could—
"Huh? Vael?"
I heard a familiar voice beside me, I looked toward it, and there—I saw Zion, looking at me with slightly widened eyes.
He was standing just a few paces away in the hallway, holding his bag over his shoulder as he stared at the room plate, then back at me.
"Haha, nice to see you again."
I greeted him.
I let out a quiet chuckle, resting my hand casually on the door handle.
This was no surprise to me. That’s right, Vael and Zion are in the same class—that’s why they became best friends in the first place.