Welcoming Ceremony.

Derek woke up from his sleep and quickly did his morning routine; he took a quick shower; prepared and ate his own breakfast.

He almost didn't have time even for a little exercise aside from stretching his body.

It's almost been a month since he went to the Ancient Realm of Mystara.

With everything he experienced, before even the classes started, made him realize how failed his unpublished novel was and he felt like it was for the best that he didn't manage to publish it.

His unpublished novel started on this very day, but with underlying mysteries that he didn't want to delve into, he never cared about solving what was behind his reincarnation as he enjoyed this life more than his previous one.

He didn't want to think about anything when "it" started, but rather, he tried to survive the future, along with his family that he didn't have in his previous life, even if the story he knew changes as it progresses.

"Money can buy happiness, but it cannot buy long-lasting genuine emotions."

He muttered after reminiscing about something.

With how poor their family was until just a few years ago, all he did at his young age excluding his mental age was to overcome his "Social Anxiety" — the thief of self-confidence whether from this world or the world before the Emergence.

"I don't want to remember that."

He mumbled while he was standing in front of a square mirror attached to the wall inside his dormitory room, combing his slightly wet short deep black hair.

What he planned this time was to observe if the story he knew would still unfold despite the existence of the Untouched and Unknown Elements he encountered or learned respectively.

'Even if I wanted to see it unfold, it'll be hard… and I can't just ask Luna about whatever happened between those people.'

He thought inwardly. Being an A-11 student, he's very far from even attempting to observe the daily academic life of the characters he had written about.

After some time, he then checked everything in his quite spacious dormitory room that was not even comparable to the A-1 dormitory rooms before he left.

…

Ding-!

As the High-Speed Elevator opened, Derek heard some students talking about their impressions or how they feel being a student in the prestigious academy.

"Whoo… I'm nervous, man."

"Don't take everything with you, brother, do you think you're the only one?"

"Hahaha! Me, too. We're just first-year, you know!"

"By the way, have you seen what they look like in person?"

"You mean…?"

"Yes! It's an honour to see them in person even from afar!"

"But… have you heard some rumours?"

Chatters- Chatters-

Derek listened to numerous students chattering as he guessed some of what they were talking about.

Most of them were about how nervous they were on their first day even though they reside in the Stella Academy for a few weeks already.

Ding-!

Just less than 5 seconds, they reached the ground floor of the Aurora Hall.

'It's a mix of nervousness and excitement.'

He thought as he walked out of the spacious High-Speed Elevator.

The Stella Academy's reputation came from the seemingly flawless teachings of the professors, as well as the resourcefulness that never seemed lacking.

But, the most important thing about the Stella Academy was the safety of students that was guaranteed unless an unexpected factor occurs.

The security guards in the Stella Academy range from A- to A+ rank.

'But it's not the security guards that are really dangerous.'

He cackled at the thought of how he had written about the Stella staff or personnel.

"Brother!"

His little reverie has been broken by Luna's joyful voice, his younger sister. She's sitting on one of the lobby seats in the waiting area section.

He looked at her who waved her right hand with an excited smile on her face, he then smiled back and nodded in response as he approached her.

"Why didn't you go first?"

Luna's deep blue eyes constricted before she pouted at her older brother's question.

"Tsk. What do you mean by 'why'? Of course, I'm waiting for you. Also, there's still plenty of time before it starts, you know!"

He scoff at his younger sister who seemed serious.

"Right… let's go, poker-face sister."

He said with a straight face, trying to contain his laughter.

"What did you say?!"

She pricked up her ears upon hearing her older brother's words in a serious tone; however, knowing him, she knew that he was joking.

"Ouch! Ouch!"

His hair got pulled abruptly for a second or two before they started to walk towards the Stella Auditorium."

...

Sure, here's the updated text:

"Good luck, Luna!"

Arriving at the Stella Auditorium, the two of them separated and took their respective seats based on the class they belonged to.

And not surprisingly, the gazes of most of the students landed on the leftmost front of the rows of seats where Derek's younger sister was sitting with other A-1 students, but some of their seats were empty and yet to be filled.

Even though the classes hadn't started yet, belonging to the A-1 class could already gain someone popularity, just like how Luna was somehow recognized by some of the students when she was visiting him in his dormitory block.

If Derek was not wrong, there were at least 480 first-year students at this very moment with 40 students in each section from A-1 class to A-12 class. He excluded some of the seniors and security that were at the entrance, as well as the Stella staff that were on different assigned work.

Derek looked through the massive Stella Auditorium.

With the 480 first-year students sitting in their respective seats, at least 1/6 of the whole interior area has only been occupied.

The interior of the auditorium was about 60 meters in height, 180 meters in length, and 120 meters wide.

It was designed like an arc as there's a wide stage on the other end, against the entrance, of the auditorium.

There were three gigantic chandeliers hanging acutely above the ceiling that were probably powered by Magic Stones.

Derek, who was sitting on the leftmost back of the seat arrangements with his classmates he didn't know, grasped the Stella Auditorium structure.

"Welcome new first-year students!

"I am here to announce that the Student Welcoming Ceremony will now commence!"

A commanding voice reverberated within the entirety of the Obelisk Auditorium; a voice that captures the attention of those who hear it.

Russell sat there with a straight face as he saw the woman standing on the stage. She was one of the characters in his unpublished novel.

Seeing her personally didn't faze Russell; he had no interest in her physical appearance.

'She's the professor for the A-1 to A-3 class of first years.'

She was also an SS+ rank player contracted with the Constellation [Witch of Dreams], specializing in Mental Attacks.

Although that's the case, she didn't lack in physical combat prowess. She wielded a very ominous scythe weapon named "Fog of Nightmare Scythe" (Legendary), with a high-grade Scythemanship "art" called "Swings of the Playful Witch" (S+).

Russell thought about the terrifying power of players in the realm of S- rank and above.

Contrary to her captivating voice, she was a very strict woman in the field of teaching, understanding the difference between the seriousness and triviality of the situation.

'She's the youngest SS+ rank in the human domain.'

He recalled what he knew about her in his mind as her commanding voice continued to resound in everyone's ears.

"I'm Professor Lorraine."