I CHOSE to be a VILLAIN, not a THIRD-RATE EXTRA!!-Chapter 103: CELESTIUM ACADEMY

The Yellow Robed Mage felt his thoughts spiral as he calculated the best way to navigate the precarious situation.

The portal for the Academy had officially closed two hours ago—a fact that ordinarily wouldn't leave room for exceptions. But this was no ordinary scenario.

The kid before him had emerged from the Southern Duke's own carriage, a symbol of prestige and power that demanded careful handling.

'This child might be someone deeply important to the Duke,' the Mage thought, his mind racing to assess the possible implications.

Yet, his initial encounter with Ashok had left an indelible impression—the boy's commanding tone, his casual dismissal of the Green Robed Mage, and his apparent indifference to formalities painted a picture of someone difficult to manage.

'This is going to be hard,' the Mage thought, suppressing a sigh.

Ashok's sharp words cut through the Mage's contemplations like a sword through mist. "What are you thinking so deeply about? Do your job or have you never heard of the Academy?"

The blatant provocation landed hard, stirring a growing interest among the onlookers. Yet, the Yellow Robed Mage didn't bite back. Maintaining an even tone, he stated calmly, "The Academy has closed its side of the Portal."

Ashok, undeterred by the mage's composure, issued his next command with absolute authority, "How would you know that when you are standing over here? Go check on the Portal."

His commanding voice, amplified by his presence and the attention he naturally drew, rang loud enough to be heard by anyone nearby.

The crowd around the portal began to swell, drawn in by the escalating scene. Passersby who had emerged from the portal paused to watch, their curiosity piqued.

Even people outside who had initially been uninterested now trickled in, forming a growing assembly of murmuring observers. It wasn't every day they saw a figure step down from the Duke's carriage and stir up commotion.

For the Yellow Robed Mage, the situation was rapidly becoming precarious. Being ordered around by a kid—one who wasn't even the Southern Duke—was a significant blow to his dignity.

Yet, he kept his composure, his restraint guided by the presence of a particular observer that stood close to him: the man in the ronin hat.

The Yellow Robed Mage, still overwhelmed by the imposing presence of Cassius, reluctantly held his tongue, unwilling to challenge someone he silently acknowledged as far stronger than himself.

Quietly, he retreated into the Portal chamber without uttering another word. Ashok and Cassius followed behind him, both exuding an air of calm authority that made the mage's unease all the more palpable.

Taking his position beside the Portal, the mage began channeling his mana into the intricate circles beneath it. The faint hum of energy filled the room, growing steadily as the mage focused.

His movements were deliberate, yet his thoughts raced. Then, as the mana surged through the circles, the Portal activated with an almost imperceptible shimmer—and the mage froze in shock.

"When?" he murmured aloud, his disbelief breaking the silence.

To his astonishment, the Portal was connected to the Academy—an occurrence he had never witnessed in his years of service. The Academy Portal only opened once every year and to admit new students and closed right after but reopening it after more than two hours was unheard of.

He understood better than anyone the immense cost of resources involved in establishing such a connection. Yet, there it was, operational and perfectly aligned.

As he examined further, the magnitude of the situation became clear. The Academy's Portal had reconnected, but not in the standard fashion. It was singularly linked to this location, bypassing the usual protocols.

This specific arrangement left no room for doubt: the Portal had been reopened for one reason and one reason only—to accommodate the kid standing right before him.

Ashok's smirk widened as he delivered his taunting question, "What happened, Mage? Why such a surprise?" His voice carried a playful edge, almost daring the Yellow Robed Mage to respond.

The Mage, caught somewhere between disbelief and composure, let out an abrupt laugh—a short, almost accidental burst of amusement. "HAHA," he chuckled before quickly collecting himself.

"The Portal to the Academy is open. You may head in, esteemed guest." Though his tone remained polite, there was an unmistakable undercurrent of bewilderment at the unprecedented scenario.

Meanwhile, the crowd gathered behind Ashok erupted into a sea of hushed murmurs, their curiosity spilling over in fragmented whispers.

"What is happening? Has the rules of the Academy changed?"

"It seems like this kid is getting special treatment."

"It must be the work of the Southern Duke. I wonder what the kid's relation with the Southern Duke is."

Cassius listened to the crowd's growing chatter with an impassive expression, but inwardly he couldn't help but think, 'Sooner or later, this situation is going to blow up into a problem for the Southern Duchy.'

He knew all too well how rumors could snowball into political headaches, especially when they involved the Duke and his closely guarded influence.

The Yellow Robed Mage's thoughts churned in overdrive as he watched the enigmatic boy standing by the Portal. 'This needs to be reported to the Magic Tower immediately,' he resolved.

The sheer weight of what had just transpired—an exclusive Portal reopening, resources spent without hesitation, and the grandeur of the Duke's carriage—left too many questions unanswered.

In his eyes, this boy could be no ordinary figure; he might even be the heir of the Southern Duke, a revelation that would send ripples through the Empire.

There was little publicly known about the Southern Duke's family, a shroud of mystery surrounding their personal lives. Whispers told of a wife whose untimely death remained unexplained, and a daughter who existed only in fragmented rumors and fleeting mentions.

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The sudden appearance of an unknown boy stepping out of the Duke's carriage raised more questions than the Mage was prepared to handle. Could this boy truly be connected to the elusive Southern Duke lineage?

The Mage suppressed his mounting urgency, maintaining a facade of calm as he silently urged Ashok to step through the Portal.

His goal was simple: get the boy through quickly so he could relay this development to the Magic Tower. Such a discovery couldn't go uninvestigated.

Ashok, standing at the eye of the storm, felt no pressure from the buzzing tension around him. His thoughts were simple and pragmatic. 'The Duke gave me the carriage—he must've calculated the consequences beforehand. If rumors start flying, it's his headache to deal with, not mine. Why bother?'

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he thought further. 'In fact, let the rumors spread. If they paint me as someone important to the Duke, it'll be the perfect shield. Even Ascended won't be so quick to mess with me. After all, everyone knows the Duke's footrest is the severed head of two Ascended.'

With that, Ashok moved forward, unbothered by the swirling whispers of the gathered crowd. His gait was calm and purposeful as he stepped into the shimmering light of the Portal.

Cassius, standing to the side, received no parting glance or word. Their relationship was steeped in unspoken tensions, and Ashok had no intention of softening his resolve.

The image of the Sword Saint's blade pressed against his neck was etched deeply into his memory—a reminder of a moment he would not forgive easily. To Ashok, simple mental shock was far from sufficient penance for such an act.

Ashok's next step from the Portal brought him into a breathtaking, surreal landscape. The expansive grass field stretched in every direction, untouched by roads or signs of civilization. The air was crisp and quiet, the stillness amplifying the grandeur of the scene ahead.

The very reason he had navigated the complex path through the Southern Duke became clear—the Academy wasn't bound to the ground; it floated high above, suspended 60 to 70 kilometers above the land, reigning directly over the Capital of the Human Empire.

Its isolation was both symbolic and practical, marking it as a sanctuary for those chosen to tread its halls.

The Academy's inaccessibility underscored its exclusivity. For the new awakened, those who could not yet conquer the skies, the only viable entry point was through the Portal. Standing alone on the endless grass, Ashok glanced back.

The Portal had vanished without a trace, leaving no way back and no signs of life surrounding him. The emptiness to his left, right, and back was eerie yet serene, as if the land itself whispered of new beginnings.

Yet, what lay ahead shattered the tranquility with sheer spectacle. Towering gates loomed before him, their magnitude breathtaking. Bright balloons and ribbons cascaded over their structure, adding an air of celebration to their imposing presence.

Behind the gates, the distant horizon seemed to shimmer with ethereal light, as though the very land beyond them were charged with latent energy. Above the gates, fiery letters blazed with unyielding brilliance, spelling out two burning words that seemed to cast their glow over the entire field:

CELESTIUM ACADEMY

Academy.

The gates, adorned with bright balloons and cheerful ribbons, practically radiated festivity—a warm, almost over-the-top welcome for the incoming batch of new students.

Ashok glanced at the elaborate decorations, his thoughts drifting to the stark comparison between this reality and the game where crowds of excitable students would have been lined up, chattering endlessly and bubbling with enthusiasm.

Yet here, two hours late to the official schedule, he found no such reception. The thought brought a sly smile to his face.

'At least I'm free from the meaningless noise and excited chatter of those little shits,' Ashok thought even during the time he played the game he would mute most of the meaningless chatter because he was bored listening to the same thing at one point.

The prospect of skipping the standard round of forced greetings and introductions not bothering him in the slightest.

With that in mind, he moved forward toward the towering gates of the Academy, the grandeur of the setting seeming to silently acknowledge his solitary arrival.