15: Chapter 15 The First Lesson of the New School Year

Hearing Eliza's words, Byron was stunned for a moment, but then he realized what was happening.

However, he didn't explain directly; instead, he took out his own identity badge and placed it against the door beside him.

A "click" sound was heard.

The door opened in response.

Seeing this scene, Eliza's mouth fell open, and her originally fair cheeks instantly flushed as red as a cooked shrimp.

Seeing Eliza like this, Byron didn't tease her; instead, he explained the reason to her.

After listening to Byron's explanation, Eliza lowered her head and whispered: "You should rest early, I'm leaving now."

After saying this, Eliza didn't linger; she immediately lowered her head and walked away quickly.

Watching Eliza like that, Byron was genuinely worried she might bump her head.

Smiling and shaking his head, Byron entered his dormitory.

It was called a dormitory, but in reality, it was just like the detached villas from his past life.

It was a two-story small building with an added basement: the first floor had a hall and a Meditation room, and the second floor was where he would live.

As for the basement, it was a place for students to conduct research, but it was empty, without any experimental equipment, so Byron would need to purchase and equip it himself.

It was a world of difference compared to the row houses where third-rate Aptitude students lived.

Without lingering on his thoughts, Byron walked into the dormitory and began his daily mandatory task: Meditation.

As the saying goes, if you don't work hard now, you'll be "brothers" on the experimental table later.

Early the next morning, Byron pushed the door open and walked out, looking refreshed.

At this moment, Eliza was already waiting at the door.

Her expression was calm, and there was a faint smile on the corners of her mouth, showing no signs of yesterday's embarrassment.

Eliza also noticed Byron's gaze; a flash of shyness crossed her eyes, but she glared at him fiercely.

Byron chuckled and withdrew his gaze: "I wonder if we'll run into Gray later."

Seeing that Byron didn't mention yesterday's events, Eliza let out a sigh of relief.

"We should be able to, after all, everyone has to go to the first class."

Byron: "Then let's go."

Eliza nodded and walked side-by-side with Byron.

Before long, the two arrived at Classroom 602 in the third teaching building.

Entering through the main door, they saw it was a tiered classroom, one level after another.

Many people had already arrived and were sitting scattered about.

Just then, Byron noticed Gray sitting in a row of three seats on the left, waving at them.

Seeing this scene, Byron felt a moment of trance; he felt as if he had returned to his school days in his previous life.

If not exactly the same, it was almost indistinguishable.

"Byron, what are you thinking about? Let's go."

After calling out to Byron, Eliza walked up on her own.

Byron came back to his senses, looked at the scene, smiled, and followed beside Eliza toward Gray.

The two sat down, with Eliza between Byron and Gray.

Gray said excitedly: "Byron, Eliza, which mentor did you choose? I chose Alchemy Dept. Mentor Edgar Thorne as my mentor. The mentor is really good; he gave us a wizard artifact right off the bat."

Hearing this, Byron remembered who Alchemy Dept. Mentor Edgar Thorne was; he was the mentor who treated his Disciples like beasts of burden.

Seeing Gray's excitement, Byron didn't have the heart to point out the truth.

Because making alchemical products not only requires Materials, but you also have to bear the failure rate yourself.

Calculating it this way, with the mentor taking 30% of the profit from each alchemical product, there wouldn't be much left for him.

However, this just meant acting as a beast of burden for the mentor; there wasn't any real danger, so in the end, Byron didn't point it out.

Time passed quickly while the three chatted, and soon it was time to start.

The moment the time arrived, a middle-aged man wearing a black wizard robe with a rugged face suddenly appeared on the podium without warning.

The moment the middle-aged man appeared, an unnerving, deathly silent aura swept across the classroom like a tidal wave.

At that moment, all the noise in the classroom suddenly stopped, plunging it into deathly silence.

The middle-aged man looked around and said: "Let me introduce myself first. I am the Vice Dean of the Dark Eclipse Wizard Academy. You may call me Vice Dean Conrad."

"And I am here to give you the speech for your first class."

"First of all, I want to congratulate you."

As soon as these words were spoken, Byron, who had been listening intently, almost couldn't hold it together.

Isn't the opening line of this Dark Eclipse Wizard Academy always the same? Who copied whom, anyway?

"You held your ground, resisted temptation, and didn't sign the agreements on the ship."

"Otherwise, today you would have been taken away by those Familys to be used as servants, instead of becoming students of the Dark Eclipse Wizard Academy!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room felt a shiver in their hearts.

"I also congratulate you for not being taken away by those masked hypocrites, losing your freedom, bearing heavy, inescapable coursework, and becoming machines without thoughts, knowing only grades, without a Soul, knowing only how to obey orders."

"Our Dark Eclipse Wizard Academy students are Dark Wizard students; we emphasize survival of the fittest. We cultivate elites—great beings who will be able to turn the tide of battle when fighting across planes in the future!"

Everyone present felt as if something was Awakening within their bodies; their blood was boiling, their backs straightened, and the excitement in their eyes seemed ready to overflow.

"I know your Aptitude varies, and the speed of your Meditation also differs."

"For example, a student with fifth-rate Aptitude can become a Wizard Apprentice within a month; fourth-rate takes three months, third-rate takes five months, second-rate even requires up to eight months, not to mention first-rate Aptitude."

"Furthermore, becoming a Wizard Apprentice is just the first step. Afterward, becoming a second-rank apprentice or third-rank apprentice takes even longer, not to mention advancing to a Limit Wizard Apprentice or an Official Wizard."

These words fell on everyone's ears like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the heat in their hearts.

Some students even saw the light in their eyes slowly fade, becoming dejected.

But just then, Vice Dean Conrad spoke again.

"Are you discouraged already? Don't be. Have you forgotten the agreement you signed yesterday? Although your Aptitude varies, it doesn't mean you have no future. In the eyes of our academy, you are all equal and will be treated the same."

"Therefore, during your apprentice stage, the academy gives you twenty years. During this period, you will have the best environment, the most comprehensive education, and the most suitable mentors; it is the same for everyone."

"Except for having to perform one mandatory academy mission each year, no one will disturb you, all so that you can improve yourselves to your heart's content, become a Limit Wizard Apprentice, and have the qualifications to push open the door to becoming an Official Wizard!"

"Keep it up, little ones!"

After saying this, Vice Dean Conrad looked around once more, and his figure vanished from the podium.

After a few seconds of silence in the classroom, it suddenly erupted into an uproar.

Listening to the noisy sounds around him, Byron frowned slightly and suggested: "How about we go somewhere else? It's too noisy here."

Eliza and the other didn't reject Byron's suggestion.

The three stood up together and walked outside, following Eliza's suggestion to go to her place.

However, after chatting for a while, due to time constraints, the three parted ways again and went to report to their respective mentors.

However, the three agreed to meet at Eliza's place every month from then on.