Land of Asteria

On a cold and freezing morning, as heavy snow fell, covering everything in a matter of time. It's the 8th year of Kheimon and the first day of the academic calendar. Yeri found herself standing right in front of the large gate, the black words of Bellona Academy embedded beautifully right above it. She gasped in awe as her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. She found it hard to believe that this is a school, not some sort of palace.

She walked into the beautiful garden, water flowed down from the stupendous status of Bellona's founder and various fountains lined up straightly, creating a pathway. The impressive landscape and the structure of the school are undeniably breathtaking. She finally stopped in front of the grand building and it states the Student Center.

'This is it. I'm here." Yeri sigh inwardly. Dragging her luggage, she takes a step into the building and found her way to the main hall. She stepped into the hall, revealing an unrealistic interior and almost faint upon the sight of it. Yeri looked around, students filled the main hall and she found herself near the back of the hall. 

A beautiful woman stood at the center of the stage which garnered most of the student's attention. "Attention first-years, welcome to Bellona Academy. I am Elkie Chong, prefect of the house of secure. Before we assigned you to your respective houses, you will be required to take an entrance exam which will oversee by the Noble 10." 

Yeri noticed that all of the seats were labeled from 1 to 20, and she was in the last group. As she was waiting for her group number to be called, she familiarised herself with the school by looking at the map which was given out by some 2nd-year students. 

"Hey, what your name?" Yeri didn't respond as she thought the question was directed to the person behind her.

She looked up as she felt someone staring at her for a full 10 seconds. "Your talking to me?" Yeri pointed at herself. 'Wow, the girls in this school are so beautiful.' She thought, eyes widening at the sight of the black-haired girl. Well, she didn't think that someone so beautiful will talk to her.

"Yes, hi. I'm Kim Cheni, call me Jennie." a smile brightly shone on Jennie's face. 

"Kim Yerim or Yeri." Yeri couldn't help but smile back at her. 'First friend in Bellona, a good start.'

 

---

 

"The last group, please head towards the room at your right." Elkie's voice rang through the entire hall, breaking the conversation between Yeri and Jennie.

Once entered the room, there stood a handsome brown hair boy, "Good morning first years. This is the Hall of Simulation, behind each door, there will be obstacles and the test will stop once you reach the other side of the room. The noble 10 will supervise and evaluate your result, then rank you accordingly based on your magic power. Don't worry, even you performed badly, you will still be in this school. Good luck."

The two exchanged words of encouragement and proceed to enter one of the rooms. Yeri looks around, it's dark but still can see the other side of the room but no signs of exit. Her eyes roamed around and spotted a lacrima in front of her. A lacrima is a crystal magic substance that can be used for different purposes.

'Lacrima? So the noble 10 are not here physically.' 

Yerim takes her first step and red beams started to shoot out from the different corners. She jumped and dispersed the beam with her light magic. 

15 minutes passed and she found herself hiding behind a bricked wall from some demon. Well, it not real but the test is not as easy as she seems, it gets harder every single minute when she advances and killed a demon.

'3, 2, 1' she groaned when the siren goes off for the 10th time. The bricked wall supposed to be covering Yeri disappeared and the demons dashed towards her.

"Light creation: Justice whip." She clasped her hand together and manifest a long whip of light. She swings her arms and the moment the whip touches the demon, it dissipated. Yeri let out a sigh of relief. 

", I used up too much magic power." She said to no one in particular, she looked around and caught sight of the exit a few meters behind a snake demon. To get there, she needs to battle it out with at least 5 demons. 

'I need to end this fast.' Yeri thought. Different strategies and routes started running in her mind and her eyes lit up when she found the answer.

Yeri runs towards the group of the demon, she makes a cross with both her hands with her index and middle finger pointing out and swiping them forward, "Light creation: Rain of lights" she summoned all her energy to fire multiple light rays at the demons.

The impact created a large explosion and the supposed to be virtual obstruction got blown up in the process, the debris flying around. Yeri dodges the debris and opens the door to the other room before another obstacle takes place.

"Congratulations on completing the test. Results will be announced shortly, you will be assigned to the recommended house. The final choice lies on you, if you don't like the recommended house, you can decline and state the house you wish to join." a female voice projected through the lacrima.

 

---

 

"Holy , the test was insane!" Jennie wiped her sweat while walking towards Yeri. The blonde nod in agreement. "I can't believe they actually make me fight zombies? mother er, those zombies run faster than my mother."

Yeri laughed at her statement. "So Jennie, what's your magic about?"

"I create insects," Jennie replied nonchalantly. Yeri's face scrunched in disgust and stare at her horrifyingly. 

"What the-" Jennie put her palm out and a Lycosa appear. Yeri almost screamed in horror. She didn't know this kind of magic existed. 

"Don't worry, they're harmless. It's a projection thought." Jennie reassured. 

Both of them sit in silence, calming themselves down. Both of them used up all their magic power on the test and now, they just don't feel like talking. "Sorry for the wait." The handsome brown hair boy from earlier came out through one of the simulation doors. "I will announce to you your magic power and recommended house."

"Shin Ryujin. your total magic power is 43,800.." A normal magician should have around 30,000 to 50,000 magic power. If your magic power falls below it, you will receive extra training and classes so that you can catch up with the others."

"Kim Cheni, your total magic power is 95,821. Congratulations on being the 10th seat of the noble 10." Everybody including Yeri snapped their heads towards Jennie. Everybody just sits in silence, too shocked to say anything at this point. "Your recommended house is tactic as you have shown great skills in that aspect during the test and of course, you can choose to accept or decline."

'Exactly how hard was your test?' Yeri thought.

Jennie shakes her head multiple times before looking at the boy, "wait-what the noble 10? holy ! Oh, and of course, it's my honor to go into the house of tactics." 

"Kim Yerim." Yeri was rather nervous and her breathing hitched when the handsome boy continues, "your total magic power is 105,820. Congratulations on being the 9th seat of noble 10. Your recommended house is aggress or tactic as you have shown equally good prospects in both areas."

At this point, the students just stared at the two girls wondering if they are some sort of monsters. Their magic power is double of theirs and not to imagine how strong is the rest of the Noble 10. Jennie turned to Yeri and congratulates her excitedly, "Holy ! we're both in noble 10."

As Yeri drowned herself with the thoughts of being the 9th seat of Noble 10. She didn't expect herself to be stronger than anyone else in the room.

She lost her entire family, her mother, father, and a brother who doted her a lot to the war 15 years ago between the 2 lands. She was found by an old lady who took her in and raised her in a rural village where magic is seldom practiced.  She grew up with the lady, she called granny.  She imparted her knowledge of magic to Yeri when she noticed that Yeri was surrounded by lights one day. She grew up practicing magic and watching children around her age played together. She just doesn't want to join them. In her previous school, she was being outcast to being one of the students in the entire school to know magic. Not that she minds.

"Yeri?" Jennie's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I'll go for tactic." Yeri decided. People who fight with a strategy will win. Only brainless people fight without thinking.

Jennie pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, excited to be in the same house as Yeri.

"Now, I officially welcome you guys to Bellona Academy. Please head to your respective houses and instructions will be given. Your personal belongings are sent to your respective dorms in your house." The handsome brown-hair from earlier opened up the door and usher the students out. "Kim Yerim, Kim Cheni. Congratulations on the new rank. Please follow me."

 

---

 

On the very top of the Student Center, it's the lounge for Noble 10. Honestly, it can pass as some kind of Palace where the room is decorated with white and gold wallpaper, crystal chandelier hung exquisitely from the ceilings and portraits of the graduated Noble 10 in gold frames hung neatly on the wall. A big round table placed right in the middle of the room which 10 velvet seats for the Noble 10. A huge lacrima was placed on the table where it allows them to have access to the Hall of Simulation, data to their students, internal and external matters. 

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, hows your holiday?" a handsome platinum brown hair boy strutted into the lounge. 

"Damn it, Kai! you're too noisy. It's only 8:30." another handsome young man with platinum white hair scowled, throwing a pack of milk at Jongin. "Thanks, Baek."

"What the. Kai oppa is earlier than me?." Jongin turned his head to look at the last seat who just walked in with a puzzled expression.

"Morning Dahyun, hows your holiday?" Jongin replied cheerfully and got ignored by the girl who turned to greet the only 2 girls in the room. "Krystal unnie, Chorong unnie." 

Dahyun and the 9th seat shared a hug and started their girl's talk in their seats. Jongin then walked over to Soojung and peck the 7th seat on her cheek. "Hey, babe." She smiled as she acknowledges him. It's been a while since they last saw each other as she had a mission outside of Asteria and its Jongin turn's to guard the school compound. It's a rule that at least one noble 10 has to stay behind during study break to guard the school in case of invasions. 

The group turned to the main door when two very handsome guys burst through it and closing it as their lives depend on it. "Wow, what's the rush, Irene noona is not here yet." Baekhyun laughed as the 5th seat rolled his eyes. 

"Not that. Jungkook's fangirl camped right outside of the main gate. I have to use my magic to sneak us in." Taehyung explained, pointing fingers at the culprit for their morning exercise. 

"Yah and you decided to give in to some gossips about Irene noona and Bogum hyung. We had to run for our lives because of you." The 4th seat retorted and Taehyung blushed sheepishly at his reply. 

"Wait what about Irene unnie and Bogum-shii?" Dahyun piped in.

"Some girls were saying that Irene noona and Bogum hyung are dating. V hyung got so riled up and blow up our cover, the girls also happened to be V hyung's admirer so they screamed so loud that attracted everybody. " Jungkook explained while rummaging the fridge.

"He just jealous that he's not the one caught up in the rumor." Baekhyun teased and slung his shoulder around Taehyung. 

"It's not. its just hyung is my friend and he shouldn't get involved with that monster." Taehyung defends while throwing off Baekhyun's arm.

"So, where's the holy trinity? It's about time." Chorong mumbled, referring to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd seats of the Noble 10.

Speaking of the devil, the main door open once again revealing 3 figures - Min Yoongi, Belriann Lim, and Bae Joohyun. The 3 of them are the school's most important figures.

Yoongi goes by the name of Suga. 4th year and hold the current 2nd seat in Noble 10, he is the head boy of secure. He is reserved and only opens his mouth when needed. Trust me, when he opens his mouth, nothing good comes out and the victims are usually guys. 

Joohyun goes by the name Irene. 3rd year and hold the current 3rd seat in Noble 10, she is the head girl of tactic. Very much like Suga, she is reserved but more outgoing than him, and she is the top scorer in the whole school, making her the smartest person in Bellona.

Belriann, 3rd year and hold the current 1st seat in Noble 10 as well as the head girl of aggress. Compared to the 2, she is more outspoken and friendly, but due to her being the strongest magician in Bellona Academy or even in the Land of Asteria, her magic power can be felt from a distance.

"My hair stands whenever I see Bel." Baekhyun shivered at the sight of Belriann.

"Hey hyung, what the happened to your blue hair? now you look soft." Jungkook commented, resulted in stones thrown in his direction. 

"Irene, your dating Bogum?" Taehyung asked, only to receive a none-of-your-business look from the leader of tactic. He swallowed and looked away from Irene's glare.

"Alright, enough of the chit chats, get down to business now," Belriann commanded and the whole team immediately settle themselves in the middle of the room.

 

---

 

Every student in Bellona Academy has to undergo twice in a year of Hall of Simulation to determine their magic power. Baekhyun, Taehyung, and Jungkook had experience in supervising for the 2nd half of the semester.

"Dahyun, this is your first time right." Irene asked, "as you have taken the simulation twice, you must have noticed that every monster you defeat get harder every siren, am I right?"

Dahyun remembered the process when she defeated Baekhyun's magic illusion of the dragon with her tree magic. She thought she was going to die on the spot. Not a good memory.

"We will be watching them through the lacrima in front of us. The 10 of us will supervise each student and access them based on their skills, to find out their magic is suitable for which houses.  Their magic power will be determined by the system. As it is not something we can calculate. If there are students with magic power above Dahyun's, 80,100 which means they will be part of the noble 10." Belriann continued with the explanation.

"The test will start in 10 minutes as Elkie is speaking to them now. So let's get the basics right. How you determine they are suited for each house will be based on their attitude, their fighting style, and their judgment. You do not have the authority to determine their magic power as it is lacrima-generated. you will give your analysis and house recommendation to Yeosang through telepathy." Yoongi added.

"Yeosang! I'm sending in the first group of students." Elkie's voice can be heard in the Noble 10's mind.

"I'm still amazed at Yeosang's telepathy magic, to be able to connect so many of us at once." Taehyung praised, which make Yeosang activate his fanboy mode.

 

---

 

After 3 hours of continuous assessment and grading, fatigue takes over the 10 of them. Unlike the previous first years - which is Jungkook's batch, they have many inexperienced magic users who don't know what they should do and end up crying because they thought they were going to be killed by the virtual demons. Yes, you get attacked but the attack only affects the magic power, it doesn't inflict physical wounds. Some students even fainted from Baekhyun's illusion magic and Taehyung's dark magic. The Noble 1o eventually decided to stick with the normal level 1 obstacles and only proceed to level 2 when they felt that the students can take it. The test usually ended in 5 to 10 minutes.

"Yeosang, the last group is coming in," Elkie announced. 

"Finally! I'm exhausted from watching them." Jongin cries, and even the leaders nod their heads in agreement. 

"Good morning first years. This is the Hall of Simulation, behind each door, there will be obstacles and the test will stop once you reach the other side of the room. The noble 10 will supervise and evaluate your result, then rank you accordingly based on your magic power. Don't worry, even you performed badly, you will still be in this school. Good luck." Yeosang repeated for the 20th time, with happiness this time as he finally can go for his lunch break.

In Belriann's lacrima, Yeri entered her simulation room. She raised her eyebrow as she felt something from the girl. The simulation started with red beams shooting out from different direction and Yeri dispersed is with her magic. She notes that her magic power is indeed different from the rest of the student and decided to raise it to level 15 for her second evaluation.

'Maybe this year doesn't seem so bad,' she thought.

Belriann looked at Irene's lacrima and noticed Jennie creating small spiders that dispersed Irene's level 1 poison. When the fifth siren goes off, most of the students already reached the other side of the door. Well, compare to both Yeri and Jennie's simulations, theirs are child play. 

"That girl. What's her name?" Taehyung stared into the 1st seat lacrima, intrigued at the girl's magic. Magicians who can use light magic are rare, and only a few can execute it perfectly and one of them was his mother. 

"Kim Yerim. She's good. Her light creation, justice whip can dissipate the demon, similar to your darkness whip which tortures the enemy instead. Her magic is something." Belriann replied while raising her current level to level 25. "She definitely can do well in any house, she attacks, defends and even thinks of a strategy to slow down the demon in that split second.

Jungkook looked up from Irene to Belriann's lacrima, to see Yeri successfully blocked an incoming attack from the demon and generate a high intensity of bright light which enough to blind a normal person.

 

---

 

'Kim Cheni - 95,821, Kim Yerim - 105,820.' the lacrima system shows the result of the 2 girls which automatically make them the 2 new members of Noble 10. Most of them were slightly surprised at the result. 

Dahyun were not really affected as she thinks that her advancement to Noble 10's last seat was pure luck when she barely made it with 1,300 magic power more than the previous 10th seat. Chorong just smiled as if she expected it would happen anytime. This is her fourth year in Bellona and being the 4th seat in her first year and she has dropped 5 rank due to the younger generations aka the current Noble 10 excluding Yoongi.

"Damn the Yerim girl is only a few points below Krystal and me." the 8th seat exclaimed. 

"It's only a matter of time you will be replaced." Soojung teased.

"Same goes to you ice queen." Baekhyun retorted. She shrugged, don't really mind if she got replaced.

"It's okay Dahyun, you can try again for Noble 10 next time!" Irene tried to console her as she just joined not long ago and now had to be replaced. Dahyun smiles brightly even though her face showed signs of regrets.

Chorong and Dahyun watched the Noble 10's trademark erased from their left wrist, leaving only Bellona's insignia which represents that they are a student. All students will have their respective school's insignia stamped on their left wrist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

character profile update:

Elkie Chong
3rd year
Prefect of House of Secure
Invisibility

 

Kang Yeosang
2nd year
House of Tactic
Telepathy 

 

Park Chorong
4th year and previous 9th seat
House of Tactic
Cotton-based magic

 

Kim Dahyun
2nd year and previous 10th seat
Prefect of House of Aggress
Tree magic