Ivory Warden of Azmaaris - I

Liam sat quietly in a shaded sitting area along the side of one of the institute's main buildings, his bookcase resting on his lap. The cool stone bench beneath him was smooth, worn down by years of students passing through. His gaze drifted over the courtyard ahead — students in blue uniforms moved in small groups, some rushing between buildings, others chatting leisurely. The air hummed with life, yet Liam felt oddly detached from it all.

Suddenly, the deep chime of the bell tower rang out, its sound echoing across the campus. One… two… three… four… The bell marked the first hour of the afternoon.

Liam exhaled, adjusting his grip on the bookcase. He knew he couldn't sit there forever — sooner or later, he'd have to face the reality of his rushed enrollment and overwhelming schedule. Still, for now, he lingered, watching the unfamiliar world unfold before him.

Liam tapped his fingers idly against the bookcase, his eyes shifting back to the path that led from the dormitories. He was waiting for his sisters.

They'd said they'd meet him in the afternoon to help him settle in — or at least show him around — but with each passing minute, his doubts grew. Were they still asleep? Had they forgotten? Or worse, were they deliberately leaving him to fend for himself as some sort of lesson?

The bell tower's echo faded, and students continued to pass by, some sparing him a curious glance before returning to their conversations. Liam shifted on the bench, sighing. "Anytime now…" he muttered under his breath.

"Hoii! What are you doing here?" a voice called out.

Liam turned just in time to see Cassandra, Elaine, and Evaline approaching him. Cassandra's sharp gaze locked onto him first, while Elaine's expression carried a hint of irritation.

"I went to the boys' dormitory," Cassandra huffed, crossing her arms. "You left right after dropping your luggage. What have you been doing all this time?"

"We told you not to go wandering around," Elaine added, her tone accusing.

"Why didn't you listen — "

"Calm down," Liam cut in, raising a hand. "I didn't wander off. I was just sitting here… looking around."

Evaline snorted, clearly amused. "So, you were sightseeing?"

Liam shrugged. "More like… figuring things out."

Cassandra sighed, her earlier frustration fading. "Well, don't just sit there. Come on, let's get your registration sorted before you accidentally break a rule you didn't know existed."

Liam chuckled dryly as he stood, adjusting his bookcase. "Yeah… wouldn't want that."

The group stepped through the wide double doors and into the Entrance Hall of the administration building. The space was grand yet orderly, with polished marble floors reflecting the soft glow of enchanted lanterns that hovered just below the ceiling. The walls were lined with banners displaying the Arthur Royal Institute's crest — a silver tower encircled by intertwining runes, symbolizing knowledge and power.

Students moved about in clusters, some standing by notice boards pinned with parchment, while others hurried through doors that led deeper into the building. The air carried a faint scent of old parchment and ink — the unmistakable scent of bureaucracy.

Liam's gaze wandered to the large desk at the far end of the hall, where several clerks were stationed, processing papers and speaking with students. Behind them, rows of shelves held neatly organized scrolls and records.

"This way," Cassandra said, steering him toward the desk. "Don't just stand there staring, you'll look like a lost tourist."

"I am a lost tourist," Liam muttered under his breath as he followed.

As they stepped into the entrance hall, Liam barely had a moment to take in the grand architecture before he felt a firm shove from behind.

"Go on," Cassandra urged, pushing him toward the help desk.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Liam muttered, stumbling forward.

Behind the desk, a middle-aged woman looked up from a stack of parchment. She wore a deep blue robe with silver embroidery, marking her as part of the administrative staff.

She barely spared him a glance before speaking. "Name?"

"Liam Orlean," he answered, straightening himself.

At that, she finally looked up properly, her gaze flickering between him and his sisters. Recognition crossed her face. "Ah, special enrollment. You've been expected."

She dipped her quill into ink and made a quick notation in the ledger before gesturing toward a hallway to the right. "Headmaster Charles has been expecting your arrival. Follow the corridor straight ahead, then take the spiral staircase to the third floor. His office will be at the end."

Liam turned to his sisters, shooting them a look.

Cassandra smirked. "Well? Go on, Prince Liam."

Liam rolled his eyes, adjusting his bookcase. 

The receptionist gave a polite nod before returning to her work, and the siblings headed toward the corridor.

The siblings were casually chatting as they climbed the staircase, Liam in the middle of a playful argument with Cassandra.

"I'm just saying," he smirked, "I don't see why you were so dramatic about twenty-two subjects. I'm sure I'll manage."

Cassandra scoffed. "Oh? Then I guess you don't need our help catching up."

Evaline chuckled. "Let's see how long that confidence lasts."

Elaine grinned. "I give him a week."

Liam rolled his eyes. "You all have so little faith in me — "

Suddenly, without warning, the mood shifted.

From the upper floor, a man descended. His presence alone commanded attention, but it wasn't through intimidation or grandeur. His clothes were simple yet refined, not overly formal, but with an effortless precision that made him stand out. His dark, slightly disheveled hair gave him the air of a scholar who had spent too many late nights poring over research. His sharp eyes, however, held an unmistakable intelligence, the kind that could see right through anyone with just a glance.

The moment Cassandra, Elaine, and Evaline saw him, their casual banter died. Their backs straightened, their expressions shifted, and in unison, they greeted with perfect politeness:

"Good afternoon, Professor."

The manarely spared them a glance. His nod was brief, his footsteps unnaturally light against the stone floor. He continued down past them, completely unfazed, as if the world around him barely registered.

Liam, however, was left baffled. As soon as the professor disappeared from their sight, he turned to his sisters. "Alright. What was that?"

They didn't respond; their gaze remained fixed on the professor going downstairs. 

Cassandra exhaled. "Professor Heath Carter."

Elaine spoke. "Professor of Elemental Studies, Mana Theory, and Conjuration."

Liam frowned. "So?"

"So?" Evaline snapped. "He has bachelor's degrees in all ten core magical subjects. Mastery in three. And he's only thirty-five."

Cassandra crossed her arms, leaning against the staircase railing as they walked. "Not to mention, he developed three spells."

Liam blinked. "Wait— what?" He looked between his sisters, hoping one of them would elaborate.

Elaine smirked, clearly enjoying his reaction. "You don't get it —."

Evaline elaborated. "He's not just any professor, Liam. He's probably the most important figure in all of Azmaaris after the Headmaster. Some people say he even holds more influence within the institute than Seyfried himself."

Liam frowned. "How's that even possible? The Headmaster runs the school."

Elaine let out a dry laugh. "Officially, yes. But Professor Heath? He enforces the rules. He upholds discipline and the laws of the institute. If someone — anyone — steps out of line, he's the one who deals with them. And trust me, no one wants to be on the receiving end of his attention."

Cassandra sighed. "Not even we're safe from him. Our status means nothing here. If we break a rule, we'll face the same consequences as any other student."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "And people listen to him?"

"Of course they do," Evaline said. "He's a commoner, yet he awakened the Spark. That alone is rare enough, but then he went and earned degrees in all ten core magical disciplines."

Elaine added, "And if that wasn't enough, he achieved triple mastery in Elemental Studies, Mana Theory, and Conjuration. Oh, and let's not forget — three — original — spells."

Liam let out a slow breath. "That's… absurd."

Cassandra remarked. "Tell me about it. He's a monster. A terrifyingly brilliant one."

Liam glanced back toward the staircase where they had passed him. The professor hadn't looked particularly intimidating at first glance, but now, with everything they'd told him, Liam felt a deep unease, a strange mix of curiosity and caution. "Huh… He didn't seem that scary."

Cassandra started walking again. "Oh, you'll understand soon enough."

Liam wasn't sure if that was supposed to be reassuring or a warning.

Elaine clapped her hands together. "Alright, let's get you to the Headmaster's office. Let's finish the procedures."

The group continued up the staircase, but Liam couldn't help but glance back once more, half-expecting to see Professor Heath watching them. But the staircase was empty.

As they reached the next floor, Cassandra gestured toward a hallway with high-arched ceilings. "The administration wing is just ahead. The Headmaster's office should be at the end of the hall."

"Nervous?" Evaline spoke playfully.

Liam scoffed. "Why would I be nervous?"

Elaine grinned. "Because you've been thrown into an elite institute without any preparation?"

"Please," Liam rolled his eyes. "I've faced worse situations."

"You say that now," Cassandra remarked. 

The Headmaster's office's grand double doors stood in front. Liam tried to knock and paused mid-step, as the heavy double doors creaked open on their own. A deep, authoritative voice resonated from within.

"Come inside."

He glanced back at his sisters, but they simply gestured for him to go ahead. Cassandra smiled sheepishly. "Well, go on then. The Headmaster's expecting you."

Liam exhaled and stepped forward, crossing into the office. The doors closed behind him.

Liam took a seat, glancing around the office. The sheer number of stacked papers threatened to collapse at any moment, some leaning precariously as if defying gravity itself.

The Headmaster, Charles Seyfred, looked every bit the overworked academic — his ragged beard showed signs of neglect, and his sharp eyes were dulled slightly by exhaustion. Yet, despite the chaos surrounding him, his demeanor remained composed, as though this mess was just another ordinary day.

"So," Seyfried began, shuffling through the documents without looking up, "how was your trip?"

"Uneventful," Liam replied, watching as the old man continued searching for something amid the clutter.

Seyfried hummed in acknowledgment, his hands patting over the desk absently. "Good, good… Now — " He suddenly stopped, furrowing his brows. "Do you have a pen?"

Liam blinked. "A pen?"

"Yes, I'm certain it was here…" Seyfred muttered to himself, lifting a few sheets before sighing. "Surely, Professor Heath hasn't taken it from here again… or has he?"

Liam froze for a second, then quickly patted his pockets, hoping—somehow—that a pen would magically appear. It didn't.

He glanced at the Headmaster, then at the stacks of paper, then back at his own empty hands. A slow realization crept in. He was about to be a student at one of the most prestigious institutions in the empire… and he hadn't even thought to bring a pen.

Seyfried looked up at him expectantly. "Well?"

Liam cleared his throat. "Uh… I don't have one."

There was a brief silence.

Seyfried sighed, rubbing his temple. "Of course you don't." He muttered something under his breath, rifled through his desk again, and finally fished out an old, slightly bent pen. "Here. Next time, bring your own."

Liam accepted it, feeling oddly chastised. "Yes Sir —."

Seyfried extended his hand again. "Pen."

Liam blinked. "Huh?"

The Headmaster raised an eyebrow. "How else do you expect me to sign your registration papers?"

"Oh — right." Liam awkwardly handed the pen back, feeling even more unprepared than before. Seyfried took it without another word and swiftly signed one of the many papers stacked on his desk.

Sliding the document toward Liam, he then handed the pen back. "Congratulations. You are now officially a student of the Arthur Royal Institute."

Liam stared at the signed papers for a moment before looking up. "That's it?"

Seyfried gave a tired nod. "Your paperwork reached me earlier and has already been verified. All that remains is for you to collect your student badge from the management office."

He leaned back slightly, rubbing his temples. "Your badge will serve as your identification for everything within the institute — accessing facilities, borrowing books, attending classes. Keep it safe. Replacing it is more trouble than you'd like."

Liam took the document, processing everything. "Got it."

Seyfried, who had already moved on to another stack of papers, looked up at Liam's silence. He arched an eyebrow. "Did I miss something?"

Liam snapped out of his daze. "Headmaster, I haven't even taken the entrance exam. I don't even know what it is." He hesitated, then added, "Shouldn't you have something to ask me?"

Seyfried sighed, setting down his quill. "Oh dear boy, you are Liam Orlean, son of King Elijah. If I were to question your qualifications, I would be questioning the authority that placed you here."

Liam frowned. "So I just… get in?"

The Headmaster tapped his fingers on the desk. "If you are looking for reassurances, you won't get them here. You are already a student. What you do with that privilege is entirely up to you."

Liam still felt unsettled. "But — "

"The entrance exam," Seyfried interrupted, "is to assess whether a student is capable of handling the curriculum. You, on the other hand, have already been given a deadline — four months to catch up on twenty-two subjects. If you fail, you will naturally be expelled. A different kind of test, wouldn't you say?"

Liam came to the realization. It was true, but it didn't sit right with him. He was being allowed in without proving himself, yet he would have to struggle more than anyone else just to stay.

Seeing the look on his face, Seyfred smiled slightly. "If it bothers you so much, feel free to attend the next entrance exam when it is scheduled. But I don't think you'll have the time."

Liam exhaled sharply. "Great. So I either prove myself by catching up or fail and get thrown out."

"Exactly." Seyfried gestured toward the door. "Now, unless you have further complaints, I suggest you collect your student badge. I have far too many papers to sign and not enough pens to do it with."

Liam hesitated for a moment before bowing his head slightly. "Thank you, Headmaster."

He turned toward the exit, but just as he reached for the door handle, Seyfred's voice rang out once more.

"Wait."

Liam paused and looked back. "Yes, Headmaster?"

Seyfried leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "I will ease your predicament a little since you are already at a disadvantage."

Liam stood still, waiting for further clarification.

"Beware of Professor Heath." Seyfred's lips curled slightly as if amused by some private joke. "Thank me later."

Before Liam could ask what he meant, the doors behind him swung open on their own.

Stepping out, Liam was immediately met by his sisters, who had been waiting for him.

Cassandra smirked. "Look at you, all serious. How was it? Did he make you write an essay on why you should be here?"

Evaline giggled. "No, no. I bet he just sat there, sweating in front of the Headmaster."

Elaine leaned in, grinning. "Did he scold you already?"

Liam rolled his eyes as they laughed, clearly entertained at his expense. 

"There was no need to worry, Headmaster Seyfred is easygoing," Cassandra mused. "Strict when needed, but mostly just drowning in work."

They kept teasing him, but Liam's mind had already wandered elsewhere.

Within an hour, he had been warned twice, about a man he knew nothing about.