After making my decision and exchanging a few final words, I stepped back from the Vice Chancellor's Office.

My shoulders, tense from the anticipation and the weight of the conversation, finally relaxed as I turned away. The adrenaline that had fueled me through the meeting began to ebb, replaced by the creeping fatigue of the day's events.

Lucian was already leaning beside the door when I emerged, a sheaf of papers in his hand, which he waved with an air of triumph.

"You took a while in there," he commented, gesturing with the papers as if they were the key to a secret. "Caught up in making history, or just lost in the maze of Chancellor stories?"

"Nothing like that," I eyed the papers, a bit puzzled. "What's that you've got there?"

He gave the papers a little shake, his smile broadening. "Oh, these? Just the registration forms. Thought I'd save you the trouble and grab them for you. Due diligence, you know?"

"Yeah, right." I couldn't help but be quietly impressed by his foresight. Lucian seemed to be one step ahead, ready with whatever was needed before the Chancellor asked for it. Even though those would not be useful this time.

His eyebrows arched high, the anticipation evident. "So, which pillar are you joining?"

There was an extra gleam in his eyes. It was clear he was fishing for information, but I didn't mind; I wanted to see the reaction of regular students to the pillar's name.

"Obsidian."

For a moment, the papers stilled in his hands. "O… Obsidian?" Lucian stuttered, his usual composure momentarily slipping, his eyes widening in disbelief. "You are joking, right?"

His reaction was more than I had hoped for.

"I wish," I replied, feeling a mix of worry and hopelessness."The Chancellor wanted me on the Obsidian Pillar, there was nothing else that he offered."

I was still unsure if I had taken an unnecessary risk, but there was no other option in front of that Dragon.

If Aiden was motivated enough to get me into his class, there were many underhanded ways he could take. Better to capitulate now than become stubborn.

At least I got access to more books. There should be secrets in his library to compensate me.

Lucian quickly pulled himself together, his surprise turning into his typical collected demeanor, though I noticed a new spark of respect—or perhaps interest—light up his eyes. "Well, that is... unexpected," He admitted with the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Seems these are a bit of a waste now," With a shrug, he placed the papers on a nearby bench. "If I had known you have talent worthy of Obsidian, I would have given you more advice."

Hearing his words, I was a little peeved. The advice would have been a tremendous help in negotiating a better deal. But there was nothing wrong with the man's conduct besides the occasional arrogance.

No reason for the man to share inside knowledge. If he had acted a little personally, I would be more suspicious of him. But anyway, I was happy to know I may have gained a great source of inside knowledge.

"Yeah, I could have used some help during the talk," I muttered, still feeling that I could have asked for fifty.

Lucian chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, hindsight is 20/20, isn't it? So, what's this mysterious talent you're hoarding? Got dragon's blood in your veins, or can you turn everything you touch to gold? Maybe talk with spirits?"

I realized that it was a good time to shut my mouth. Sharing my talents was the last thing I wanted. However, besides the blood, space, and time mutation, there was only the Unique [ Identity ] skill and the Legendary [ Myriad Languages ] skill.

A shiver ran down my spine as I imagined what would happen if Aiden found out about my Legendary skill.

Seeing my hesitation, Lucian smoothly changed the subject. "Never mind, it's not my place to ask. Did the Chancellor need anything else from me?"

I nodded, eager to move past the unease. "Oh, right. He said you should take me to my dorm."

"Dorm?" Lucian said the word like it was a foreign concept. "There is no Dorm for Obsidians. Did he tell you a name?"

"Astrid's Enclave"

Lucian's eyebrows shot up in surprise after hearing my words, "Are you sure?"

All I could offer was a firm nod.

"Hold on, let me double-check that," Without waiting for me, he turned on his heels and rushed back towards the Chancellor's office.

Left alone, my thoughts raced. The name sounded simple enough for an area.

But seeing his reaction, maybe there was more. Enclave generally suggested exclusivity, a community distinctly apart from the usual crowded. Fitting for a place to house Obsidians.

Sure the Enclave sounded separate from the normal overpacked dorm I was expecting. But Obsidian was also way out of the league for the pillar that I got.

If the pillar was as impressive as Aiden made it sound, it was within my expectation to have a group of students stay in a separate compound.

Lucian returned quicker than I expected, his expression a mix of bewilderment and amusement. "You weren't kidding. Astrid's Enclave, indeed. That's... not your typical Obsidian housing. Looks like you're in for quite the experience."

Of course, I'm. Your reaction is enough to tingle my senses. "Is it really that unusual?"

He nodded, the amusement fading to a more serious expression."It's unique, to say the least. Astrid's Enclave is reserved for those who've earned their spot through the Obsidian Tryouts."

I furrowed my brows. "Obsidian Tryouts?"

"It's a competition among second-year students, fighting for one of the five coveted spots."

Hearing his words, I became more confused, "Second-year students fight for a first-year spot?"

"Yes," Lucian confirmed, coming near to stand more squarely in front of me. "That fact alone should give you an idea of how prestigious Obsidian is..."

My mind began to race, considering Lucian's words and the implications of my situation. Of course, Obsidian was special. That was not new, but the competition was.

"So the chancellor expects me to fight for my spot?" I guessed the reason for opening the topic.

"Yep," he said, his gaze locking with mine. "You have two months to specialize. Otherwise, you're thrown into the fray, fighting one of the chosen at random after the finals."

A competition meant a chance to prove myself, but if I failed? Doesn't that mean my spot would get snatched? "And if I didn't make it through the competition?"

Lucian's response came with a shrug. "Those who don't make it return to their original pillar. It's essentially a battle among elites already in a pillar, which makes your direct assignment there... quite unique."

It was clear that he didn't know for sure, so I turned to the major problem.

That Dragon— wanted me to fight for a place I hadn't even wanted. Thrust into a competition for a prestigious spot within Astrid's Enclave, all while my initial wish was far simpler, far more ordinary.

The gears in my mind began to turn. This was an even better scenario than I'd imagined. If I simply coast, showing a deliberate lack of competence, I could easily slip through the Dragon's clutches, reverting to being a regular student.

Yet, the thought was bittersweet. All the extra perks and access to the Dragon's Library– all would vanish.

The whole thing made my head spin. Embrace the challenge and secure my place among the Obsidians, or retreat to the safety of mediocrity.

And I felt the day's weariness catching up. An involuntary yawn broke through my thoughts, reminding me of the long, eventful day.

"You look worn out," Lucian commented with concern. "Let's head out; the chancellor mentioned I was free to go once I've shown you the mansion."

What mansion?

—

"There's five of them." I deadpanned. It didn't take long to conclude that each belonged to one of the five spots.

"Yep, and from what I've heard, each mansion has enough room to house ten people comfortably." Lucian's casual mention did little to diminish the grandeur of the reality before me.

A Golden sign, with Astrid Enclave written in glowing black obsidian, was placed beside the road leading to the mansions.

Looking at the empty streets, it made sense that not many people would come here. The Enclave was at the end of the road they had taken, and the area was quiet, with only the sound of leaves and far-off steps occasionally.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange with the night sky creeping in.

The road stretched straight ahead, lined with mansions that spoke of elegance and exclusivity, with a little bit of pillar specialization showing. Two flanked on either side of the road, with a fifth standing proudly at the end, dominating the view.

Most of the walls were made of white stone, but the frames of the windows and doors were made in the respective colors of the pillars.

"Come on, let's get you settled," Lucian encouraged, breaking the silence that had fallen between us.

"Are the mansions even clean?" The question slipped out before I could stop it, a trivial concern in the face of such luxury.

"Don't worry about that; most of the cleaning is done by enchantments." Lucian turned to me with a grin that made it clear he found my concern amusing. "So, which one do you want?"

I pointed towards the nearest mansion, the first along the road. There was no point in being humble; having committed to this path, it was time to enjoy whatever came next, however short-lived it might be. However, I would still choose the least problematic one. "How about the first one?"

Lucian gave me a look that suggested he'd seen a ghost. "What are you talking about? That's the smallest of the mansions here."

True, it was smaller than the others, but its size was still impressive by any standard. "Yep, that's why it's good for me. I don't want to attract any attention."

Shaking his head, Lucian seemed perplexed by my logic. "Who do you think will come here for the next two months?"

"Huh?" It was a question I hadn't considered. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that aside from Aiden and Lucian, only the administrative staff and the rest of the Obsidians would know about my pillar.

To the rest of the academy, I would appear as a regular student. Given the impressive nature of these mansions, it seemed unlikely my classmates would have reason to visit this secluded area, not if they have impressive mansions like these.

Lucian's following words snapped me back to the present. "Don't you see the best one right there?" He pointed to the mansion at the end of the road, its size and stature outclassing the others.

I shrugged.

As we approached the chosen mansion, we paused outside. "How long are you going to wait to open the door?" Lucian asked after a minute of silence.

"What do you mean, 'how am I going to open the door'?" My confusion must have been clear because Lucian suddenly slapped his forehead in realization.

"Right," he exclaimed as if a lightbulb had gone off. "You didn't show me your armband earlier, so I completely forgot to explain. Put it on, and I'll show you how it works."

When Aiden gave me the armband, I simply packed it away to avoid trouble. Announcing to the world that I'm chosen for the Obsidian pillar without any strength? Not happening.

"Did you not put it in front of the chancellor?"

"No, I just packed it in my backpack after observing a little,"

"Why would you— Aren't you excited to show off your new pillar?"

"That was the one reason I kept it packed," I admitted, not ready to dive into the deeper reasons for my hesitation.

Lucian's eyes gained a strange gaze as if he was contemplating something important. His following words caught me off guard. "I get it. Are you shy around girls?"

"What? No, why would you think that?" I protested though the amusement in his tone suggested he was half serious.

"No need to lie. We'll work on that shyness," he assured me, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Sighing, I didn't argue further.

Instead, I focused on the armband, clipping it onto my left wrist like a watch. The moment it was secured, it lit up, displaying a colorful screen that included my details — name, age, and even my physical condition.

"The details you are seeing should be the reading that the armband got. As it gets more familiar, the details will increase."

"That's pretty neat," I admitted, impressed by the technology. Almost like my [ Identify ] skill.

"Also, that little armband is your ID and key to everything inside the Academy," Lucian explained. "It gives you access to equipment and areas you're allowed to enter and acts as a trigger system if you break any rules."

Lucian gestured for me to follow him closer to the mansion's imposing front door, its grandeur making me feel all the more out of place. "Come here, try to open the door. These mansions aren't exactly keyed to individuals, but your armband should grant you access for now. The enclave's caretaker will swing by tomorrow to finalize the new settings."

As I lightly touched the door, the faint glow from its obsidian brightened, casting a soft light against the golden metal.

Suddenly, a new screen materialized in the air before me, with a little button that I felt in my mind.

Confirm Entry: Yes / No

The door responded immediately, its heavy latch clicking open.

"Well, my part here is done," Lucian concluded. "I don't know much about the inside, but there should be bedrooms with bathrooms and a kitchen inside. You can't miss them."

"Do you want to grab something to eat, or are you going to sleep?" he asked, noting another yawn that escaped me.

After a little yawn, I decided to sleep. I was still full from lunch, and water would do well for me now.

"No thanks, I think I'm going to sleep," I decided, still full from lunch and content with the idea of water if I got thirsty later.

"Alright. If you run into any problems, just use the armband. Do you want to share armband addresses? It's like the Academy's version of sending letters, but automatic."

Nodding, I managed a weary smile, my eyelids heavy and blinking slower than usual, eager to embrace the promise of sleep in one of those grand bedrooms Lucian mentioned.