A sense of overwhelming shock spread across the entire grand library.
Three streams of radiant golden light continued to pour out from the crystal spheres, bathing the vast space in a brilliance that rivaled the sun itself. The enormous branches of the Yggdrasil Library trembled faintly, their leaves glowing with a soft green hue as if responding to the rare energy that had just emerged.
The silence that once defined the library was completely shattered.
Voices rose from every direction, overlapping into a storm of disbelief, excitement, and awe.
"It's impossible…"
"Three people at the same time!?"
"That's golden blessing!"
"This has never happened before!"
Some students near the center instinctively stepped back, unable to process what they were witnessing. Others stared intensely at Hajime, Chad, and Daniel, their expressions tangled with admiration, jealousy, and even a hint of fear.
At the center of it all, Albert Haden stood still.
For a brief moment, he said nothing.
Behind his round glasses, his eyes flickered with deep thought.
"Three of them…" he murmured quietly under his breath. "Could it be…"
He adjusted his glasses, his composed demeanor quickly returning. But his mind was far from calm.
Three golden blessings in a single generation.
That was not just rare.
It was something that should not exist.
The noise in the library continued to rise until suddenly….
Clap!
The sharp sound echoed through the massive space, cutting through the chaos like a blade.
Albert's voice followed, calm yet firm.
"Young students… please, compose yourselves."
His tone remained polite, but there was no room for disobedience.
"This is still a library, after all."
Gradually, the noise faded. A few students coughed awkwardly, embarrassed by their own outburst.
Albert then began walking toward the three boys.
Each step was slow, measured, deliberate.
The golden light from the spheres had begun to dim, but its presence still lingered faintly in the air.
He stopped in front of them and offered a small smile.
"Congratulations, young gentlemen," he said, his voice carrying both warmth and subtle curiosity. "This is truly… a remarkable moment."
His gaze moved from one to another.
Hajime stood straight, his expression calm, almost unreadable.
Chad looked slightly surprised, though he was clearly trying to maintain composure.
Daniel, on the other hand, was still staring at the sphere in front of him, as if struggling to believe what had just happened.
Albert turned back to face the rest of the students.
"And of course," he continued, raising his voice slightly, "my congratulations extend to all of you as well."
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in.
"From this moment onward… you are officially students of Gaiacademy."
A wave of murmuring spread again across the crowd.
Some students looked down at their own crystals with excitement, curiosity lighting up their faces.
Others… could not take their eyes off the three who had received gold.
Albert raised a hand slightly, signaling for attention.
"However, before we conclude today's ceremony… there are a few important things you must know."
The library gradually fell silent once more, though the air remained thick with anticipation.
A voice from the back whispered, "What now…?"
Another muttered, "I just want to know what my blessing actually does…"
Albert gave a faint nod, as if he had expected that reaction.
"First," he said, "you will be given three days of freedom."
A ripple of relief moved through the crowd.
"In these three days, you are free to explore your blessing. Understand it. Test it. Or… simply rest."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"After those three days, all students must return on time for the official start of classes."
A few sighs could be heard.
Albert smiled faintly.
"And finally…"
He reached into his robe and pulled out a small jade-colored marble.
It glowed softly, as if mist swirled within it.
"This," he said, raising it slightly, "is called an Appraisal Orb."
Every eye in the room focused on it.
"It will allow you to understand your blessing in detail," Albert explained. "Its nature. Its strength. Its limits… and how to use it."
He slowly scanned the room.
"So before you leave… make sure each of you takes one."
He lowered his hand and gave a slight bow.
"And with that… I wish you all a bright future."
Not long after, the students began to leave the academy grounds.
Footsteps echoed across the courtyard, mixed with excited conversations.
Some were already examining their orbs, turning them over in their hands.
Others were still talking about the three golden students.
"Did you see that light earlier?"
"It was blinding!"
"I've never heard of three at once…"
The sun had begun to set.
The once crowded courtyard slowly emptied, leaving behind only scattered leaves drifting down from tall trees.
At the center of the courtyard, Albert Haden remained standing alone.
He looked up at the sky in silence.
Then….
A voice echoed inside his mind.
"How were the results, Albert?"
He did not react with surprise.
Instead, he bowed his head slightly, as if addressing someone standing right before him.
"They exceeded expectations, my lady," he replied calmly. "Even I did not anticipate… three golden at once."
The voice responded, smooth and distant.
"I expected surprises… but three is indeed… interesting."
Albert remained silent for a moment.
Then the voice continued.
"In the coming days… I want you to observe them closely."
Albert frowned slightly.
"Them…?"
The voice grew lower.
"It seems… HE has taken an interest in this generation."
Albert's eyes widened instantly.
"HE…?"
The air around him felt colder.
He inhaled slowly.
"…Understood, my lady."
The voice faded.
Albert stood alone once more, the quiet returning as if nothing had happened.
He turned his gaze toward the academy gates, where the students had just left.
"Three golden blessings…" he murmured.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Don't know what she or HIM trying to do….but it look like this year going to be very….chaotic."
At the same time, inside Kai, Duke, and Mike's small house…
The three sat around a wooden table.
In front of them lay three jade-colored appraisal orbs.
They stared at them like they were objects from another world.
Mike finally broke the silence.
"So… how are we supposed to use this thing?"
He leaned forward, pointing at the orbs with a skeptical look.
Duke shrugged, leaning back lazily.
"No idea. I guess we just… figure it out ourselves."
He turned his head toward Kai.
"What do you think?"
Kai picked one up carefully.
He rotated it under the light, watching how the faint glow reflected on his fingers.
After a moment of thinking, he spoke slowly.
"Maybe… we just say our name?"
Mike tilted his head, considering it.
"…That actually sounds reasonable."
He leaned forward with interest.
"Go on. Try it."
Kai placed the orb down in front of him.
He took a quiet breath.
"My name is… Kai."
Silence.
Nothing happened.
The three of them stared at the orb.
Then at each other.
Mike blinked.
"…Well."
Duke sighed, dragging a hand down his face.
"Yeah… I didn't think it would be that easy."
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
"These next three days are going to be exhausting…"
Meanwhile, in another house…
Hajime's group sat around their own table.
Three appraisal orbs rested quietly between them.
Daniel leaned his chin on his hand, watching Hajime with a faint smile.
"So… how does it feel?"
Hajime glanced at him.
"What do you mean?"
Daniel chuckled softly.
"You know exactly what I mean," he said. "How does it feel… to be at the top again?"
Chad crossed his arms, leaning back slightly.
"Come on," he said. "It's just a color."
Daniel shrugged.
"Maybe….But right now, the entire academy is probably talking about it."
Hajime said nothing.
His gaze rested on the orb in front of him.
A few seconds passed.
Then he finally spoke.
"How does it feel…huh?"
He repeated the question quietly.
He thought for a moment.
"…Honestly," he said at last, "it doesn't feel that different."
Chad raised an eyebrow.
"Not different?"
Hajime let out a faint laugh.
"No," he said. "Right now… it feels the same as before."
He slowly picked up the orb.
The soft green light reflected in his eyes.
"But…"
His fingers tightened slightly around it.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
"It does feel like…"
He paused.
"…things are about to get interesting."