The Anomaly's Path

Waking up early was the worst thing in the world. Festival day or not, it didn’t matter. Getting out of bed early was pure torture.

I dragged my feet along the path, letting out a long, dramatic yawn. The morning sun was just starting to rise over the academy, washing the city in a golden glow, but my tired eyes could barely appreciate it.

Damn it... I barely slept three or four hours.

As I walked, my mind drifted back to last night. After getting back to my room, my head had been far too restless to sleep. I had ended up spending hours in the training room practicing the third form of my sword art.

On top of that, I had run around the underworld, bought Julian at the auction, spent a huge amount of money on his hotel, and arranged for Lyra to take him to the estate. My brain was running on overdrive.

And then there was Seris...

A smirk touched my lips, as the memory of her deadpan face cracking into a genuine laugh flashed through my mind.

It was honestly strange. Last night was the first time I had ever talked to her for that long. In the original game, Seris was just a cold, silent ghost in the background — a second-year top ranker who barely had any lines before dying during the academy arc.

But actually spending time with her? She was quiet and blunt, sure, but she also had this remarkably sharp, deadpan sense of humor.

Though... she really had to play me like that about the maid cafe, I grumbled internally, scratching my cheek in embarrassment. And then leaving me hanging about the dinner... Now I actually have to make sure the restaurant is perfect, or I’ll never hear the end of it.

My watch buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out while keeping my feet moving.

I saw Mia’s name on the screen.

She had been sending me video messages every day, non-stop. I swiped open the call, and my little sister’s cute face appeared on the screen. She was bouncing with excitement, running around her room and shouting into the device.

"Leo! Leo! We’re coming today!" Mia chirped excitedly, her voice practically piercing through the speaker. "Mom and I are getting on the jet soon to fly over to the academy city! Sir Hops-A-Lot said he’s going to stay home and guard the place while I’m gone so no evil monsters break in!"

I stared at the screen for a second, a soft, helpless laugh escaping my throat. Sir Hops-A-Lot... that damn frog really gets treated better than most nobles.

Closing the screen, I shoved my hands into my trousers pockets and continued walking down the path, taking a long sip from the travel cup of coffee Lyra had brewed for me before I left my room.

This morning, I had told her everything about Julian — who he was and that she needed to take charge of his training. Since my family was arriving today, I planned to send her and Julian back to the estate with Mom.

Lyra hesitated at first.

She knew my track record — I kept ending up in dangerous situations every two weeks. She argued that leaving my side was a bad idea. But I convinced her to agree. Besides, I don’t go looking for trouble. Trouble just finds me.

Since they weren’t leaving right away and would stay for a while, I also told her to bring Bart along so they could both enjoy the festival.

I even gave her the short swords I bought for her. I said it was a gift, but when I handed them over, it felt small compared to everything she does for me. It couldn’t really be called a gift. I was planning to get her something better later.

I took another sip of coffee, staring blankly at a three-way crossroads on campus.

Wait... where the hell is the opening assembly taking place again?

I stood there frozen for a second. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I had just been walking blindly without a clue where I was going. Suddenly, a heavy arm swung around my neck, dragging my head down.

"Yo, bro! Morning!" Roan’s loud voice boomed right in my ear. "I knew it! I knew you were staring blankly like an idiot! You seriously need to do something about your awful sense of direction, man!"

"Get off me, Roan," I groaned, shoving his elbow away as I straightened my black coat and adjusted my tie. "I know where I’m going."

"Sure, sure, bro," Roan snickered, leaning back with a smug grin. "That’s why you were walking straight toward the stables instead of the festival grounds."

Behind Roan stood Alice. Her shoulders were completely slumped, her arms hanging limply at her sides, and her eyes were barely half-open. She looked like a zombie.

"What’s her problem?" I asked, pointing at Alice.

"She was training late last night," Roan whispered loudly. "Barely got two hours of sleep. Plus, even if she slept for ten hours, waking up early is literally the worst thing in the world for her."

"Fair enough," I muttered, shaking my head. " Alright, lead the way then."

_

The big hall was already packed with thousands of students in uniforms, all standing in their class groups. On the raised stage above, the teachers and Student Council members stood waiting. As we took our spots near Class Ascendant, my eyes drifted up toward the high platform.

Professor Morgana was slouched in a chair near the back, looking completely hungover, thoroughly bored, and entirely useless as usual. Professor Helene Draven stood rigid at the front, her short silver hair catching the morning light as her sharp grey eyes swept over the massive crowd.

My gaze flicked over to the Student Council section — and immediately locked with a pair of quiet, crimson eyes.

Seris was standing among the second-year representatives. We stared at each other for three seconds.

A sudden flash of embarrassment hit me as the memory of my "maid cafe" speech from last night rushed back into my mind. Unable to keep eye contact, I was the first one to look away, quickly clearing my throat and staring intently at the floor.

Damn it... I’m never going to forget that elevator ride.

Before I could dwell on it any longer, Vice President Helene Draven stepped up to the podium.

A subtle, suffocating wave of heavy aura radiated from her body, instantly crushing the noisy chatter of thousands of students into, dead silence.

"Welcome, students of Aegis," Helene’s crisp, icy voice echoed. "You stand here today gathered for the official opening of the Aegis Academy Festival. This event is a celebration of our history, our strength, and the prestige of this institution. I expect each and every one of you to uphold that standard."

She paused, her sharp grey eyes sweeping over the vast, silent crowd.

"I know many of you are wondering why Headmaster Vega is not standing here on this platform today," Helene continued smoothly, her tone calm yet authoritative. "He is currently away from the academy, personally resolving an urgent matter. However, despite his absence, he has provided a recorded message for this assembly."

A massive blue mana-projection lit up in the sky above the hall.

A giant image of Headmaster Vega appeared in the air above the hall. The ancient dragon in human form looked powerful as always, his golden eyes glowing with quiet strength. Behind him, explosions rocked the sky, and the sound of tearing metal echoed through the speakers.

"Greetings, students of Aegis," Vega’s projection spoke, his deep voice calm despite the chaos behind him. "I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. A rift opened near the southern border a few hours ago, and I had to deal with it myself."

He paused, a small confident smile on his face.

"Welcome our guests with pride. Show the world what Aegis is made of. Enjoy the festival, push your limits, and to our first-years — stand tall. I expect great things from you. Keep growing, keep getting stronger, and always remember: this festival is for you. So enjoy it."

The projection vanished, leaving a heavy silence in the hall.

A labyrinth... I thought, my mind clicking the pieces together. In the original game, Vega was also dragged away by a labyrinth during the festival. That’s why Helene was left in charge... and why The Fallen took advantage of his absence to strike.

Helene stepped back to the front of the podium, her voice booming over the silence.

"As students of Aegis Prime, you carry great responsibility," Helene said sternly. "The outer gates of the academy city are now open to the public. High nobles, guild leaders, merchants, and tourists from across the world are entering our city. The inner campus is still restricted, but the city itself is fully open."

She leaned forward, her eyes glinting with discipline. "Even if you’re not on the Student Council, it’s your duty as a student to represent Aegis with honor. Keep order, stay alert, and report anything suspicious right away. Don’t embarrass this academy."

Helene raised her hand, her voice echoing one final time:

"The main gates are open! Dismissed!"

_

As the assembly broke up and the sea of students started to scatter, I turned and headed toward the main streets of the academy city.

Roan and Alice fell in step behind me.

Since I had been forced to take that Enforcement Badge, I was assigned patrol duty on the main shopping street before our class stall opened. I dragged Roan and Alice along because leaving them unsupervised near the festival was a bad idea.

Those two would probably burn down half the district or start a brawl before noon.

I left Malva off the patrol list. She was too sharp and too good at cooking to waste on guard duty. She could handle the stall setup better than anyone and make sure nothing fell apart before we opened.

Stepping onto the main streets, the size of the festival hit me like a wall.

Aegis Prime wasn’t just an academy — it was a huge magical city. Glass buildings, open markets, amusement spots, luxury cafes, and restaurants lined the streets, all covered in glowing banners and floating lights.

Since the academy charged high entry fees for non-citizens, the crowd wasn’t made up of ordinary tourists. It was the domain’s elite — rich merchants, high-ranking guild members, mercenaries, and nobles who came to see the new generation.

The city’s population had doubled overnight.

Walking through the packed streets in our uniforms, with my Primus badge catching the sun, drew whispers and stares from the crowd. I kept my hands in my pockets and my eyes scanning the crowds, alleys, and balconies.

Our patrol stretched into the late afternoon. It was mostly boring work — breaking up small fights between nobles, warning mercenaries not to cause trouble, and keeping Roan and Alice from turning small arguments into full-blown brawls.

By the time the sun started to set, painting the sky orange and gold, the city was at its peak. Food stalls filled the air with the smell of roasted meat and sweet pastries. The plazas were packed with people enjoying the evening.

I pulled out my watch, checking the time, and let out a long, quiet sigh. Patrol duty was finally over, and now it was time for the real work to begin.

Adjusting my coat against the cool breeze, I headed toward Class Ascendant’s stall. Malva and the others had been setting up all day.

Now it was our turn to run the show.