Chapter 300

Chapter 300: Announcements and Dining Hall

As the new semester began, most of the freshmen had advanced to second-year students, bringing about many changes in their daily lives.

Originally, all freshmen wore uniform attire with no distinctive uniforms, only the cloaks and badges provided by the school. However, things were different now that they had advanced to second year.

There were new requirements for attire. For instance, the students at the Fortress Academy wore uniforms primarily in shades of red and green, with slight variations based on their grade levels. Today, Lolan Hill was wearing the specific uniform of a second-year student in the Demon Sequence at the Fortress Academy.

The dress was a pomegranate-red skirt, with a black cape covering her shoulders and half of her chest. In the middle, there was a deep red collar with a bow tie. The skirt had pleated floral patterns and black buttons down the middle, with a black corset at the waist. The skirt ended just above the knees, being shorter in front and longer in the back, almost reaching the calf area at the rear.

The overall look accentuated her figure and added layers, avoiding a thin appearance. The material was bronze-grade with extraordinary toughness, suitable for low-intensity combat.

According to school regulations, all students must wear the school-issued uniforms and wear the badges of their respective schools after second year. Each sequence had three versions of uniforms for summer, autumn, and winter. To make the students less resistant to this rule, these uniforms were made with fine craftsmanship and were aesthetically pleasing, involving considerable investment.

However, these uniforms served a purpose. The sages insisted that all students wear them not only for aesthetic uniformity but also to foster a sense of unity and competition. Once in the uniform, your school and sequence were immediately apparent, naturally labeling you. This simple yet effective way helped students recognize each other’s differences, fostering competition between schools. External pressures during various events and competitions would lead to internal unity within the academy, encouraging collaboration among students.

What is the fastest way to become friends? It is having a common enemy and shared interests.

If students from one’s own academy win a championship, not only does the academy earn points, but the participants also receive certain rewards. Additionally, the annual comprehensive score of the academy affects the distribution of resources the following year.

Being the strongest and most renowned school in the Ivar World, the resources and connections possessed by Emanas were unimaginable. Therefore, the internal competition was particularly intense.

—

Lolan Hill led Keti towards the dining hall of the Fortress Academy, as described in the student handbook, it was located on a certain floor in the middle of the fortress.

Walking through the quiet corridor, the ceiling was adorned with flower-shaped chandeliers, and occasionally light filtered through thick stone windows, forming blurred boundaries with the shadows in the corridor. There was no sun here; only faint white light reflected from the sky.

Keti’s school uniform had not arrived yet, and Night Mistress said she still had to wait a few more days. Fortunately, it wasn’t officially the start of term yet, so the Order Department members wouldn’t scrutinize such situations too closely. Passing

The long and sparsely populated corridor twisted around several corners, and gradually more people appeared.

As they neared the dining hall, two rows of black bulletin boards appeared on the walls beside the corridor. They were tightly secured with magnets, bearing numerous announcements written on special yellow paper using black ink. It seemed there was such a requirement, and each announcement was protected by a layer of glass to prevent anyone from tearing them down casually.

[‘Recruitment for the ‘Oakwood Spear’ Guild, receive a Silver-grade Lance upon joining!’]

[The upcoming ‘Rainbow Neck Bottle’ competition for new potion development is about to begin. We urgently need someone with an operational precision of thousandth of a magic micrometer. Those who pass the assessment will receive 2 Honor Credits and a Golden-grade Potion.]

[The ‘Dance of Swords’ tournament, where 30 people battle it out, will be held in March. The top prize is a Pearl-grade weapon. Interested parties please sign up.]

[Long-term recruitment: Form teams in autumn to explore ancient battlefield ruins in the Sighing Mountains. Requirements include a Sequence level above 5 and flight capability.]

[Social tea party, to be held at the end of February. Students hoping to meet their dream partner are encouraged to sign up.]

[Reward: Defeat Darsi in the arena and receive the Pearl-grade potion ‘Blood Moon Revival’ from the Jintelin family.]

[‘Bud of Flower Nectar’ is recruiting new members. If you love cultivating plants, don’t miss this opportunity.]

[Hunting Dragons: An evil dragon from the Northern Region has appeared in the Cold Leaf Territory, attacking nearby cities. Those wishing to participate should contact the team leader before the deadline. Afterward, spoils will be divided according to contributions.]

All these announcements bore red seals, indicating they had been reviewed and approved by the student council of Fortress Academy. Many students stopped to read them as they passed by, fortunately, the corridor near the dining hall was spacious enough that it didn’t get congested.

“Wow, the recruitment terms for the Rainbow Neck Bottle competition are too good. Just passing the assessment gets you Honor Credits and a high-level extraordinary potion,” said a sophomore with envy.

“Sigh, you just arrived. You may not know how difficult this requirement is. I doubt even five students in the academy could meet it. Besides, they only mention a Golden-grade potion but don’t specify what kind. There might be some pitfalls here. But the Honor Credits seem quite valuable and reliable.”

“Is that so? Then the reward below shouldn’t be fake, right? A Pearl-grade potion, ‘Blood Moon Revival,’ which can significantly boost one’s strength in a short period. It’s like a game-changer.”

“But,”

A senior behind him covered his forehead helplessly before continuing, “The opponent is the number one student in the academy.”

“This was left behind by Verlin before she left. Seems she still harbors some resentment.”

“It’s true. She had always been the perennial second place. Finally, she waited for that person to graduate. Who would have thought another dark horse would emerge unexpectedly.”

Listening to the seniors explain, a freshman whispered, “That

“How about going to Oakwood Spear? They give a silver-grade weapon for free when you join.”

“This depends on whether you use guns or not. The weapons they give at Oakwood Spear are either lances or lances, with maybe a shield added. You’re not good at fighting, but you’re quite skilled at woodworking,” commented a senior in red.

“Oh, this…”

Loran Hill held Keti’s hand as they walked past the notice board. She didn’t spend too much time looking at it; after all, she had plenty of time to look around later. Right now, feeding the flame girl beside her was more important.

Passing through the elegantly decorated door, the luxurious dining hall came into view. High above, a complex chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, adorned with intricate floral designs. Below, the spacious hall was supported and divided by several arched stone pillars. Each pillar stood next to a circular counter manned by service staff, stocked with various delicacies waiting for students to pick up.

Most of these pastries, dishes, and wines were kept warm behind glass partitions. Prices and required points were marked underneath. The overall atmosphere was one of nobility’s refined luxury, yet it also stimulated the appetite.

Facing the dazzling array of counters and delicacies, Loran Hill was a bit surprised. It wasn’t just because of the lavish decor and beautiful food, but also because of the prices.

Many items were given for free—no money needed, nor did they require school-issued points. All one needed was their badge to enter.

Each of the four academic grades at Emanas had its own style, and the Fortress Academy, with its focus on the Demon Sequence and Nature Sequence, attracted mostly nobles from the Verdant Empire. This influence made the academy adopt many noble customs. Not only were the facilities and environment opulent, but the welfare was also abundant. Meals were mostly free, and the ingredients used were rare. Students could also purchase two airship tickets annually using their badges, and the internal club funds were ample. Even additional rewards were given for achieving high rankings in competitions.

This was due to the fact that many of the graduates were from the High Nobility, whose wealthy families had contributed substantial funds to maintain these benefits. This was a way to remember the pure and beautiful campus days. It was also a means of cultivating connections and exchanging resources. If their descendants wished to attend, it was easy to obtain recommendation letters.

The nobles did not care about death and hunger far away. They only cared about the comfort and propriety of their surroundings. For instance, while many died from the cold and snow in the Northern region, they did not want to know about it. Instead, they would be deeply saddened by the death of a small cat on the road.

On one hand, they were very compassionate, but on the other, they were very indifferent.

This was the style of the Fortress Academy—comfortable, elegant, and with a proud personality.

Thank you to Ming Taizi, Meng Hui Ling Nuan, Bu Zhi Dao, Ai Shi Yi Guo Guo, Wo Suo Bu Xiang Ren Qu, Shu You 20190605221937455, Jian Wen Xin Shen, Yun Zhong Gu Meng, and the eight patrons.

(End of Chapter)