The Guardian

Chapter 3: It is recommended...

In the room where all the students were gathered, Aurora got a look from her friend.

“Wasn’t that a magnificent speech?” Alice asked as she ate some chips.

“Well, when the speech is given by a Grand Archmage, then yes... Any speech can be a wonderful speech,” Aurora replied with a calm expression.

They both moved into the group the teachers assigned them, moving through the throng of new academy students.

Their surroundings were crowded, but dozens of teachers were gathering groups.

The duo made their way to the teacher, who had been in turn looking at the other students.

“I’m embarrassed looking at the others...” Alice muttered with a small smile as she ate chips.

Everyone was looking for their designated groups with an excited and serious expression, but Alice was the only one eating chips and, although she said she was embarrassed, she didn’t mind the stares from the others.

The reason was not her chips -sacred- but something else.

“They’re quite young...” Alice muttered, looking at the group of young people, who were mostly 18 years old.

Aurora nodded in agreement as well.

She knew that at the academy you got in at 18, and even though it was left open until 21, very few people that age got in.

In this case, they were both 20. To them, the others were ‘young’... Even if it was for two years, in this world where there were all kinds of oddities, two years was a long time and one could experience many things.

“Are we all here yet?” the teacher asked the group, and realizing this was the case, she continued. “On the first day, we won’t start by giving them advanced lessons in magic, history or other subjects. We’ll be dedicated to organizing you and setting you free so that you can explore the academy on your own and adjust on your own.”

“That said. I would like you to check in with your communication devices.” The teacher said, and tapping her watch, a screen appeared in front of her.

After touching a few buttons, the entire group felt their communication devices shaking.

Alice and Aurora were also using the new holographic watches that had replaced the old phones.

When they noticed that they had an invitation to the academy app that didn’t appear in any store, the two looked at each other.

“Hahaha...”

They weren’t the only ones surprised, which made the teacher laugh in amusement.

“Professor, you have a talent-focused on technology?” a sophisticated young woman asked.

“Correct.” said the teacher with a smile.

“Ohhh...”

The group of students couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

That was normal, that holographic watches, or other devices that replaced the old telephones, had a high level of technology and advanced security.

That the teacher touched a few buttons and then each had a notification to install an unknown application, slightly letting the students know of that talent that differed from the usual magic.

“Well, you guys will learn more in other classes. Today I will tell you about the app,” said the teacher and explained. “This will be the app that you will use during your stay at the academy. In it, you will find your grade records, class schedules, assignments, jobs, events, news, social network, etc. It will be an important part of your life, so please fill in the configuration fields.”

As the group nodded and set about configuring the app, the teacher stepped back.

“Sleep at the academy? No. Eat at the academy? Yes.” Alice murmured and, elbowing Aurora, asked. “What classes are you going to?”

Class selection depended on the students’ personal abilities, innate talents, and affinities, but many other classes were up to personal choice.

The hero academy had dozens of classes from magic, martial arts, and many other skills where experienced teachers taught.

That was the reason the Hero Academy was so well known.

“Let’s arrange together, shall we?” Aurora asked, seeing that Alice was excited to be at the academy.

They both set about arranging their schedules and classes by selecting the ones they were going to be in together.

When they finished, they noticed that the auditorium was half empty.

At that moment, the young woman who had identified the teacher’s ability approached them.

“Would you like to come with us?” the young woman asked with a friendly smile, and to appear more confident, she added. “My brother attended the academy, so I know it well.”

The duo looked at each other and both smiled.

“Sure,” Alice replied calmly.

“I’m Clémentine Delacroix, you can call me Clémentine.” said the young woman, and Alice introduced both of them quickly.

The young ladies who accompanied Clémentine seemed a bit shy, so they kept silent, but Clémentine did nothing to make them uncomfortable and guided them calmly.

“The academy has many sponsors and benefactors, which has led it to have the best facilities and classes,” Clémentine reported, with a hint of pride.

The group moved on and stroll around the academy.

They visited the gym, the training centers, the various classrooms, laboratories, and other places.

Clémentine would quickly explain what she knew, and then they would move on to other places.

However, each place was simply perfect.

The gym had all kinds of exercise machines, including gravity centers for martial artists who focused on strengthening their bodies.

The training centers were a multi-dimensional place where there were areas for archers with different types of training, mages, and warriors, among other skill users.

The laboratories consisted not only of magical alchemy but also science and technology, in some cases merging.

The world had advanced enough that magic, science, and technology could merge perfectly.

Aurora nodded at all these places, marveling at the level of the academy’s facilities.

“The dining hall!” exclaimed Alice, eyes sparkling as she ate some chips from her small bag.

Clémentine laughed at that sight and, seeing Alice’s sparkling eyes, commented. “The academy’s dining hall has the best meals, and even sometimes you get magical products from the Apicius Multinational Company that focuses on all kinds of food.”

“Really?” Alice asked, looking slightly hungry.

Aurora’s lips quivered.

She just had lunch an hour ago... And she’s always eating chips...

She swallowed her words and was about to try to throw her gluttonous friend off when she felt a slight magical disturbance.

It was something subtle that most would think someone was using magic near them, but Aurora knew that feeling.

A barrier is being raised...

“I’m going to the bathroom,” Aurora said with a nonchalant expression as if such an event hadn’t happened.

“I’ll walk you.” Commented Alice with her chips in her hands.

They both left the dining room and, after passing the corridors, they entered the nearest women’s restroom.

Seeing no one inside, Aurora asked. “Did something happen?”

That slight magical disturbance seemed simple, and that simplicity was what made it strange.

—The academy’s magical barrier has been raised and communications with the outside have been shut down.

Reported the system, and Aurora’s expression quivered for a moment.

“Is that normal?” She asked in vain.

—No.

Aurora’s expression changed subtly.

She had been enclosed many times in large barriers to the point that she could feel the change, even if it was done in secret.

That slight magical disturbance that ‘disconnected’ this place with the outside caused by a powerful barrier was very noticeable to someone like her with keen senses.

“Hey stop talking to yourself...” Alice said with a strange expression.

Seeing her friend looking at her strangely while holding a chip in her hand and a bag in another made Aurora’s lips quiver.

“I’m talking to the system,” Aurora replied, and ignoring Alice’s increasingly strange look, she asked. “Did you feel that?”

“About the barrier rising and cutting off all communication with the outside?” Alice asked precisely.

“Yes...” Aurora replied, looking at her friend, who seemed lazily focused on her chips, and asked. “How did you figure it out?”

It was a useless question since they had been going through all kinds of situations together and going through all kinds of events having almost the same experience since they were little.

Alice was too carefree...

“Well, it’s simple,” Alice commented and pointing out the small bathroom window and stated. “The sky is all black.”

Aurora looked and noticed...

It was too obvious.

She could see, although only a little of the surroundings because of the window, that entire part was black, with a thick barrier covering the entire academy.

As they both blinked, somewhat dazed by the development, a voice echoed through the surroundings.

“Attention students... Attention students... Criminals have taken over the academy... I repeat, criminals have taken over...”

The megaphone made that voice echo everywhere, even reaching the bathroom.

Aurora and Alice looked at each other, surprised by the sudden development.

“It is recommended...”

Before that voice could give instructions, they heard several noises that were certainly not technical problems.

After a brief pause, it was all over.

“Dear students. We have taken over the academy. We advise you to surrender peacefully and put up no resistance, as we have cut you off from your teachers, superiors, and the world.”

A serious and somewhat amused voice sounded from the megaphone.

“I repeat. We recommend your immediate surrender to the auditorium.” The voice stated, and letting out a light chuckle, murmured in a sinister tone. “We do not wish to stain such a sacred institution with your blood...”

That sinister tone would make any normal student shudder, but Aurora and Alice looked at each other.

“What do you think?” Aurora asked, her tone half-serious.

“Looks like there will not be breakfast...” muttered Alice, in an extremely serious tone.