About fifteen days remained before the opening date of Ark Academy. According to relevant sources, heroes and exceptionally talented students scattered across various regions would be pouring into the academy in waves.
The massive crowds were expected to fill the dormitories and surrounding school districts, making Rigetaya, the Holy City, exceptionally lively. The entire city’s population looked forward to the end of the holidays, preparing to welcome these young and energetic prodigies.
“Does the Ark really need vacations?”
Regarding the girl’s question, Provost Bayona, who was sitting in the Admissions Office, answered casually while signing documents, “You could call it an internship period. It is a time to spread the teachings and holy words learned at the Ark to the world and to accept a wide range of disciples.”
“Oh, so it’s an internship period.”
Bayona’s explanation sounded accurate and vivid. Students spent six months of the year receiving education or making various tactical adjustments at the Ark, and the other six months traveling the world to purge the darkness and chaos lurking in various places. This was their established duty.
“As for how to spend their holidays productively, we leave that to the students to decide. After all, some students hold very busy positions, while others are high-ranking nobles.”
“I see. So, the matter of assigning dormitories after school starts will also be decided after some time?”
“Yes. After the term begins, following precise measurements and assessments, dormitories and departmental affiliations will be assigned in detail. Therefore, I must ask you to wait a while longer. Are there any inconveniences with your temporary accommodations?”
“No, thanks to you, I am living quite comfortably without any issues. Since the admission procedures are mostly finished, I will take my leave now.”
“May Queen Evelyn and her attendant, Miss Angelina, be blessed.”
“You as well.”
Stepping out of the Admissions Office, the roads were filled with people coming and going, already showing signs of a bustling atmosphere. Everyone carried strangely shaped equipment on their waists or backs; these people were likely heroes.
Perhaps they were students who had just returned to the city, or new students who had just enrolled like Noel’s group.
In the noisy street, she looked up at the sky. Above her head, she could see a massive, smooth-domed vaulted ceiling that was clearly man-made—a giant dome large enough to shroud half the sky.
As far as she knew, the size of this dome was comparable to an average small city. From the outside, it looked like an opaque protective shield or a massive fortress. However, looking out from the inside, the barrier was as clear and bright as glass, allowing the azure sky and marshmallow-like clouds to come directly into view.
This was the academy of the Order — the Ark.
An educational institution that cultivated and trained all kinds of talent, molding them into heroes. It was known as the final bastion protecting humanity from the intrusion of darkness. If Erica could receive ideological education and value-shaping here, perhaps Evelyn could become a better child as well.
The idea of Evelyn obediently enrolling and listening to lectures was almost as impossible as pulling a UR on the first try in a gacha pool.
But the great and wise Lady Erica had managed to do it regardless.
She had twisted the direction of the story, escaped the whirlpool of fate, and broken free from the shackles that bound her. She had completed this astonishing feat!
This matter was truly worthy of some heartfelt self-praise.
“Um… hello…?”
Just then, someone walked up to speak with Erica. Snapping back to reality, she turned to see a girl with a brown ponytail looking at her.
The girl wore leather clothes and a short cloak commonly seen on adventurers, her outfit adorned with many buckles and a pair of sturdy boots. Her features were delicate but of a common type.
Who was she? Erica naturally had no idea.
“I want to pay my tuition and apply for admission. Could you tell me where to go? I didn’t get lost once coming all the way from Badaris, but I’ve been lost in Ark City for almost one hour now.”
‘Ah, so she’s a new student.’
She remembered Badaris as a remote village on the edge of the continent. Was this an inspirational story about a country girl entering the city? However, Erica wasn’t curious enough to start prying, so she simply answered politely with what she knew.
“That way. If you go that way, you will see the admissions management facility. May I ask if you are a hero as well, Miss?”
“Miss? I’m no noble, and I’m not a hero yet. Anyway, thank you. I wish you luck in battle.” The woman waved goodbye and disappeared into the distance.
Watching her ponytail sway gently like a horse’s tail, Erica couldn’t help but think of the big guy who had recently taken a liking to tying his hair back. Thinking of Emile brought back memories of what had happened a few days ago, and her tail suddenly began to feel hot again.
“Ngh…”
To prevent her shameless tail from controlling her brain, Erica calmly looked around, noticing that many students were already here, overflowing with youthful vitality.
“Nermi! Let’s go together!”
“Hurry up, Reze! Let’s spread a blanket under this tree and eat our lunch together!”
The campus paths, lined with cherry-blossom-like flowers, were filled with laughter and chatter. The people strolling through this scenery all looked happy and excited.
Was the new semester the season where Happy Endings were born?
Erica felt the reality once more that even after transmigrating, she still had to go to school.
If she went to school, she would be able to hone various skills properly, right? After all, this was the Ark, the hero-training institution. Most importantly, she had this now.
“Status Window.”
***
[Status Window]
**Name: Erica Angelina Noel**
**Level: 30**
**Class:**
Half-Elf: Level 6
Alluring Enchantress: Level 10
Performer: Level 9
Trainer: Level 4
Mage: Level 1
**Talents:** [Alluring Presence], [Calm Thinking], [Mystic Eyes], [Fairy’s Touch]
**Alignment: Chaotic Neutral**
*You are the sole survivor of a fallen family.*
*You must avoid political enemies who try everything to destroy your house and successfully revive your family.*
*Fortunately, you are full of passion for rebuilding your clan.*
***
Her total level had reached the Level 30 milestone!
‘So, is it useful for anything?’ Only a few days had passed since she established a relationship with Emile, and these were the only achievements she had made. However, she had also learned that once a Class Level exceeded Level 5, it became very difficult to increase the level and experience points further.
To rise from a Level 9 veteran actor to a Level 10 movie queen, she estimated she would need to perform in numerous plays or engage in major performances and deceptions while risking her life.
Furthermore, what exactly was this? What caught her eye now was the Level 1 entry for the Mage class.
[Calm Thinking] often provided an experience bonus to all classes, and it had slightly increased her class experience several times, but that so-called Mage class level simply wouldn’t go up, remaining stuck at Level 1.
‘Can I even use magic?’
While opening the system seemed to be a form of magic, to Erica, magic should be the combat-type skills where one threw around a dozen **[Fireballs]**, used psychokinesis to uproot buildings, or tossed steamrollers.
If it was the Ark, the hero-training institution, she would surely be able to learn high-end magic there.
‘I wonder if there’s time-stop magic or something like that? Or maybe hypnosis magic? Wait, I don’t really need to learn that right now, do I?’
‘Well… better safe than sorry.’