Murmurs drifted across the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was divided into three floors. The first floor belonged to the first and second years, the second floor housed the third and fourth years, while the third floor was reserved for the final-year students.
Snow sat on the first floor as students chatted and ate around him.
Ping!
A notification sounded in his head.
Opening his school system, a message appeared.
Student Michael has sent you a friend request.
Snow accepted it with a mental command before opening the communication tab.
Snow: Good morning, Senior Michael.
Michael: Just call me Michael.
Snow: Got it.
Michael: Are you free before class? Can we meet at yesterday's spot.
Snow: I'll be there in a bit.
Snow stood up and slipped his hands into his pockets.
After walking far enough away from the crowd, he headed toward the meeting point.
Michael was spinning a golden coin in hand totally lost in thought when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Startled, he turned around and immediately found Snow standing behind him.
Without hesitation, he bowed.
"Good morning, sir."
"...Eh?"
Snow's eyebrows rose in surprise.
A faint chuckle echoed from a nearby shadow.
"Pfft."
Angelina.
Michael scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Ehem... I thought about what happened yesterday."
He took a deep breath.
"If what Angelina said is true... then I'm willing to take my chances with you."
His expression became serious.
"You're the best opportunity I have anyways."
He lowered his head slightly.
"What I'm trying to say is... I'd like to work under you, if you'll have me."
Snow stared at him.
"...Sir feels wrong."
Michael blinked.
"I'm six years old, you know."
Snow pointed at himself.
"I'm already used to Angelina calling me Master."
Snow reached just above Michael's shoulder as he was two years younger than him.
Michael thought for a moment before smiling.
"Master then."
Snow nodded approvingly.
"Yeah. That works."
Turning his back away.
"I'll see you tonight, Michael."
"I've got something special planned for you."
Michael straightened immediately.
"Aye aye, Master."
"Angelina, let's go."
Snow turned and walked away.
A shadow silently slipped into his own flawlessly.
Heading toward the assembly grounds, Snow let out a sigh.
"What a hassle..."
The only thing on his mind was Michael.
More specifically...
The title he would grant him tonight.
The senior instructor stood before the students with a tablet in hand.
Snow listened for his name patiently as class groups were drafted.
One after another.
Yet his name never appeared.
That was until the instructor spoke again.
"Now then."
The entire crowd fell silent.
"For the first time in Eden Academy's history, a special class has been established."
His voice echoed throughout the grounds.
"An elite class created specifically for the Ten Miracle Babies."
Snow remained expressionless.
As expected.
The instructor continued.
"I'm sure all of you are aware of the ten Great Domain manifestations that occurred around the world during the last six years."
The students immediately began whispering.
"Three appeared in Africa."
"Two appeared in Asia."
"No way..."
"Are they really coming here?"
The instructor raised a hand and the crowd quieted.
"Those events led to the birth of ten unique children."
"The Miracle children."
Eden Academy existed largely because of them.
Africa alone possessed three Miracle Babies, making it the continent with the highest concentration.
Combined with their continent artifact of the Miambo Woodlands Spatial Barrier, it became the perfect location for the academy.
The academy itself blended seamlessly into the ancient forest.
Buildings crafted from silver-grey stone stood among towering trees.
Dormitories rose high above the woodland floor while structures such as the Hall of Clashes were built directly into nature itself.
A colossal spatial barrier surrounded the entire academy.
Without authorization, outsiders would simply be redirected elsewhere, never realizing a school existed there.
That was one of the reasons every student received a special academy card.
It served as a key.
A key that allowed them to enter Eden.
The instructor's expression grew serious.
"Until now, the Miracle children have remained largely hidden from the public."
"The oldest among them are Snow and Jayden."
A wave of surprise swept through the crowd.
"Those two experienced the most assassination attempts after their births."
"They were the first."
"And because of that, they were hunted the most."
"The rest we barely know of their existence, after the attempts of assassination on Snow and Jayden the rest of the parents knew to be cautious"
"I'm glad to inform you the eldest of them will be joining us this year hopefully the rest will consider our offers in the following years."
The students exchanged nervous glances.
Many had heard rumors.
Very few knew the truth.
As the announcements continued, information packets were automatically delivered to Snow and Jayden hidden in the crowd through their school systems.
Their classes.
Their schedules.
Their instructors.
Everything had already been arranged.
The academy wasn't foolish enough to let ten unknown prodigies cause chaos in the crowd of children.
By the time the orientation ended, evening had already arrived.
Snow quietly left the crowd.
Reading through the information on his system, a faint smirk appeared on his face.
"Can't wait."
Elsewhere.
Inside a room overflowing with vibrant plant life, a wild aura pulsed softly through the air.
Leaves swayed despite the absence of wind.
Flowers bloomed and closed rhythmically around a young boy.
His emerald-green hair shimmered beneath the sunlight.
A grin spread across his face.
At the exact same moment Snow spoke...
He uttered the same words.
"Can't wait."