Austin barely avoided bumping face first onto an orc woman’s breasts as he glanced at the chats on his phone while walking. “Sorry,” he muttered, his gaze meeting the warm smile of the towering, green-skinned woman.

 The campus grounds of Mythica Academy teemed with a diverse mix of humans and parahumans, each engaged in their own activities. He decided to keep his eyes up, he didn’t want to bump into a burly student on the first day and get into a fight even before the classes began.

He stopped just close to the academy building, the Hall of Fame stone nearby catching his attention, where the names of esteemed alumni were etched into the stone. His eyes quickly scanned for a familiar name when his phone buzzed with a message from Larissa, the girl he was meeting. She was his mom's friend's daughter.

“I’m almost there. Geez, there’s so many students here this year. What are you wearing?” Larissa’s text popped up on his screen. Glancing down at his attire, Austin replied, "Green overcoat over a white t-shirt and black trousers."

Austin knew no one in this city or academy personally. His mom had talked with her friend, Iravi, a Moonelf, whose daughter Larissa was the same age as him and was going to attend the academy. Austin heard that Larissa was familiar with this place, and she could help him around. He was glad to have some help and accepted the offer.

 He’d chatted with her a little and seen her in a photo, the only one available on her social media profile, but never met her in person. She seemed like a cute moon elf in the picture, he wondered if she really matched how he’d imagined her to be. He wouldn’t admit it publicly, but he was actually looking forward to meeting her. After all, he was a 19-year-old dragon with raging hormones. And a young guy like him would deny the company of a beautiful woman.

 A smile spread across his face as he put the phone away in his pocket and scanned the surroundings once again. He couldn’t believe that he was actually here. He’d been training for years so he could join the famed Mythica Academy. It hadn’t been a particularly joyful journey, there had been many ups and downs, but many great days as well. But now that he had an aim to achieve, it wasn’t the time to keep holding on to the past.

 After beating himself up with guilt, he understood one thing. What happened in the past couldn’t be changed. It wasn’t particularly his fault at all, that one event that changed his life—one he couldn’t forget—was the reason for many emotional hardships he faced.

I will try to win over their trust again. He promised himself, reading the names of alumni again, hoping to see his own name engraved one day somewhere on this same stone. His eyes roamed all over the text until he finally stopped at one particular name, it was his mother’s ‘Cassandra Blackthorn’ A dragon just like him and a former Dungeon Ranger who was very popular in her younger days.

 “Austin,” He heard a feminine voice call his name and felt a hand on his shoulder. Austin brought up his best friendly smile as he turned to greet Larissa, personally meeting her for the first time.

 She actually looked even better than in the picture. Larissa’s skin was blue like a bright summer day’s clear sky, her eyes were also blue but a shade darker, shoulder-length black hair framed her delicate face while her ears rose to the points, she had a slender figure with medium-sized breasts and eye-catching hips too.

 “You have a nice fashion sense.” Larissa eyed him up and down.

 Austin gazed upon her likewise. “You look great too.” She was wearing a light pink tank top that showed off her flat tummy and denim jeans that clung to her slim waist and curvy hips.

 “It’s nice to finally meet you, Larissa.” Austin extended his hand, and Larissa shook it. Her touch was soft and warm, he felt like reaching down and kissing her hand but decided against it. It hadn’t even been a minute since he’d met her, and he was already feeling some desire flare up inside him, his draconic instincts were on an all-time high.

Larissa's blue eyes twinkled playfully, only fueling the fire even more. "I can say the same, Austin," she said, a hint of shyness evident in her voice. "Why don’t I get you a small tour of this place before we find your dorm?"

 “Yeah, sure.” 

 Austin followed the Moonelf through the throng of students who were standing on campus ground, some were chatting with their friends, some were trying to flirt with others already, and I even saw some people that looked like couples. There were a variety of students, orcs, various races of elves, humans, beastkins, and fae.

 Every few steps showed him a new kin, many of whom he hadn’t even seen before. It was quite an exhilarating experience for someone who had mostly grown up in a smaller, more laid-back city.

 "I heard that you were homeschooled," Larissa asked, walking beside him.

 “Uh, yeah…” The memories flooded back into his mind. He wondered how his life would’ve turned out if the incident hadn’t happened and he had stayed in high school and graduated like everyone else. “I dropped out of high school due to some personal reasons.”

Noticing a change in his demeanor, Larissa tried to lighten the mood. "I hope I didn’t hit the wrong chord," she said with a gentle smile.

 Austin smiled slightly. “Ah, it’s nothing.” He chided himself for feeling bad again. I have to forget my past and use it as a learning tool to make a better future. He had decided that while studying here, he would fix the most important issue in his life: a lack of social life. 

 An opportunity was right before his eyes. Larissa could be a great potential friend. Austin cleared his throat before continuing, “It’s a long story, I might tell you about it someday as long as we get to know each other better and become friends.”

 Surprised by his openness, Larissa blushed slightly. "Friends?" she echoed, her blue eyes widening in surprise. "Why not? Our moms are great friends, so it seems right that we get to know each other as well."

 “Right,” he nodded. “I don’t know a single soul here apart from you. I hope you wouldn’t mind me sticking close to you.”

 Larissa blushed and tucked a strand of her hair behind her pointy ear. “It’s always good to have some company, besides, I might be familiar with this place, but I don’t know anyone here either. Come, let’s explore.”

It was true that Larissa’s mother, Iravi, used to be a teacher here until a few years ago, before she decided to retire.

 The campus was spread over a long area, it seemed like a little town in itself. There were 7 or 8 dorm buildings on one side. A large stadium-like place loomed further away from the dorms. But the biggest monument on the campus was the academy building itself. 

 It seemed to be divided into various sections and classes. It wasn’t exactly how he pictured it; the building wasn’t like a wizard castle at all; it was a perfect blend of traditional and modern architecture. Some structures reminded him of Roman monuments.

 Since its conception a thousand years ago by Morgana Le Fay, Mythica Academy has stood the test of time. Only the students with magical affinity could study here, for it was for the sole reason of training these individuals in the magical arts to safeguard the rest of the population that this academy was created.

As they strolled through the grounds, Larissa pointed out various landmarks and shared anecdotes about the school's history. Austin listened intently. He found himself drawn to her, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she spoke.

 "So, what made you decide to come to Mythica?" Larissa asked, her curiosity piqued.

 Austin hesitated for a moment, considering his response. "Well, after everything that happened in my teenage years, I needed a fresh start," he admitted, his gaze meeting hers. “I’ve always wanted to be a Dungeon Ranger like my mom, so this place seemed like a good place to fulfill that dream of mine.”

 Larissa nodded understandingly. "I can understand that," she said softly. "For me, I've always felt like I didn't quite fit in with anyone. But here, it's different. It feels like I might finally meet people I could relate to."

 Austin smiled, feeling a sense of kinship with her. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he said. “I’ve faced something like that too.”

 As they walked, Larissa couldn't help but wonder aloud, "By the way, why did you come here so late? Most students arrived three or four days ago and finished their entrance exam. Did you go through any entrance exams before coming here?"

 Austin's surprise was evident. "An entrance exam? I had no idea," he admitted, furrowing his brow in confusion. “My mom didn’t tell me anything about it.”

“It may be because it started last year. The staff sends an email to students informing them of the date and time they’re to give an entrance exam, and in some cases, teachers themselves visit the students and test the potential students’ abilities before deciding to give them an enrollment here.”

 He retrieved his phone, frantically searching his inbox for any mention of an exam. Larissa leaned in to peer at his screen, her curiosity piqued.

 However, all Austin found was the enrollment confirmation email. 

 Larissa pulled out her phone and showed him the email detailing her entrance exam. Austin pondered for a moment, considering the possibility that his mother's connections might have exempted him from the exam. She was friends with the headmistress and many teachers here, after all. He breathed a sigh of relief at the thought.

 "Looks like they didn't ask you for an exam," Larissa observed, handing his phone back to him. "Maybe we can talk to the headmistress later and ask her about it. It's not your fault if someone forgot to send an email."

"Good idea," Austin agreed. They resumed their stroll through the campus and entered the academy building, its grandeur evident as they entered the main hall. Austin marveled at the sight of the glass chandelier, its ethereal glow casting a mesmerizing light.

 Larissa guided him through the hall, pointing out the large sets of stairs leading to different classes. Austin chuckled at her informative tour, appreciating her knowledge of the place.

 The walls were adorned with plain beige tones, interspersed with tapestries bearing the words "Mythica Academy."

 He looked up and noticed a large glass chandelier hung on the high ceiling. It glowed with fire, which seemed to have no source; the fire was just suspended inside the chandelier, casting a crystalline and ethereal glow inside the well-lit hall. “As you can see, this is the main hall. Most of the seminars happen here. They have cleared the chairs for the time being, but this place will be filled with them tomorrow.”

 Pointing to some staff distributing digital wristbands, Larissa explained their significance. "This is a Chronoband," she said, lifting her wrist to reveal her own. "It serves as your student ID and has various functions we'll learn about in class. You can't live here without it."

 Austin admired Larissa's knowledge. "You really know your stuff," he remarked.

 Blushing shyly, Larissa glanced at him before averting her gaze. "Thanks," she said softly. "It's just basic stuff—the perks of being the child of a former teacher. You should go and get your own CB."

 Austin approached the staff member. Noticing she was a faun, he observed her unique features—a pair of small horns protruding from her brown hair, fur covering her legs, and hooves instead of feet.

"Hi, I'm a new student. I was told to get my ChronoBand from here," Austin said.

 The woman greeted him and asked him his name. Austin told her his name and gave her his enrollment number. The woman pulled out a brand new ChronoBand out of a box, connected it to the PC near her, finished doing some last-minute adjustments, disconnected the CB, and held it out to Austin with a warm smile. “Welcome to the Mythica Academy, Austin. I hope you’ll make lifelong memories and connections here.”

 Austin was elated to hear that. “Thank you,” he said, taking the Chronoband. Now, he finally felt like a new chapter in his life was beginning.

 Austin put the Chronoband on his wrist, and it latched around on its own. It resembled a smart watch, but it seemed to have many more unique functions. He didn’t want to mess things up, so he didn’t touch anything he didn’t understand.

He walked back to where Larissa was waiting for him. “It should have your ID, some basic information, and a dorm room number as well. I think the icon makes it self-explanatory.”

 Austin nodded and clicked onto an icon that resembled a student ID card, and immediately a holographic image of his ID appeared over the watch.

 Name: Austin

Age: 19

Race: Classified

Class: 1A

Dorm: Maverick Hall, Room No. 9

Larissa’s eyes perked up upon seeing the dorm name and number, but she didn’t say anything, she looked at it and then at Austin’s face, who was amused by the things Chronoband could do. And it wasn’t even the start; there was so much more to it.

“Hey, about your dorm, can I take you there?” Larissa offered, and Austin noticed her smiling a little more than before.

But he had a thought. “I appreciate it, Larissa. But I want to find my dorm room on my own. I don’t know, it just feels exciting. I want to do this one thing on my own. You can show me the rest of the area after I’m settled in.”

"Sounds good," Larissa agreed. "If you need anything, just give me a call. I've texted you my number. I'll see you soon."

Austin couldn’t help but smile as he watched the moon elf go. She had a spring to her step, but what he found even more delightful was the view of her plump ass in those pants. Larissa suddenly turned back and looked back at him. He quickly pulled his gaze to her face, but by the way she was smiling and blushing, he was sure that she’d caught him staring at her ass.

He let that thought drop for a moment and walked out of the hall and out onto the campus grounds, this time walking in the direction of the dorms. Luckily, the dorms had name boards, so he didn’t have any problem finding the Maverick hall.

Finally, he spotted room number 9. His heart was beating way too fast, after all, he was going to spend the next few years living with this person. He wondered who his roommate was. He certainly didn’t want to share the room with a bully; he wished for someone friendly.

Taking a deep breath, Austin reached out to knock on the door. His hand hesitated for a moment before finally making contact with the wood. With bated breath, he waited, his mind racing with possibilities.

As the door creaked open, Austin's pulse quickened, his eyes widening in surprise as he found Larissa standing on the other side.

"Hi again, roommate." Larissa greeted him with a playful smirk, her eyes sparkling. "I hope you don’t mind sharing a room with a Moonelf who also happens to be a night owl."

 A grin spread across his face. Winking at Larissa, he replied, "Perfect! I think we’ll have fun keeping each other awake at night."

 A soft blush painted Larissa's cheeks; a delicate hue of pink danced across her face, even the tips of her ears were glowing with the same shade. In that moment, he knew he’d get many more chances to make her blush like that again and again.