Damien walked forward calmly, the faint murmurs still trailing behind him as he approached the large gates ahead.
The postures of the guards at the entrance straightened as he neared, their gazes sweeping briefly over his frame before settling on his face.
Without a word, Damien reached into his pocket and pulled out the golden card. Its polished surface shimmered under the light, catching their eyes immediately.
The moment they saw it, both guards froze.
They exchanged quick glances with each other, their expressions turning solemn and respectful in an instant.
Then, as if on silent command, both men bowed slightly and stepped aside, opening the gates.
"Welcome," one of them said in a low, respectful tone, his eyes still on the card.
The metallic hinges creaked faintly as the gates swung open, revealing the path leading further inside.
Behind Damien, several gasps echoed through the crowd that had gathered nearby.
"A... a golden invitation!" someone whispered.
"Is that really what I think it is?" another murmured in disbelief.
The whispers spread rapidly like ripples through water, and in seconds, nearly everyone around was murmuring to themselves in shock.
They all recognized that golden card — the unmistakable symbol of an elite invitation. It wasn’t something just anyone could obtain.
Such invitations were usually given only to the children of high-ranking nobles... or to those who awakened unique class.
But the latter was extremely rare.
The moment they looked at Damien again, many of them shook their heads, finding it difficult to believe that someone like him — whose name they’d never heard before — could have awakened a unique class.
That only left one other explanation.
"He must be the child of some high noble family," a girl whispered, glancing toward his back as he walked through the gates.
"Which noble, though?" another asked. "I’ve never seen him before."
But as their eyes lingered on Damien’s appearance, some of them began to doubt their own assumptions.
His dressing was far too simple, none of it matching the usual grandeur that nobles were known for.
Even his shoes, though clean and neat, lacked the luxurious polish common to noble heirs.
He looked... ordinary.
Yet the golden card in his hand, and the dignified way he carried himself, didn’t match that at all.
Then someone remembered the chariot.
"Wait," one of the boys said suddenly, eyes widening, "he came in a chariot, didn’t he?"
The realization spread instantly.
That single fact was enough to silence many of their doubts.
"Then he must be a noble," another voice said with certainty. "There’s no other explanation."
A quiet murmur of agreement followed.
Damien, however, paid no attention to any of it.
He let out a sigh as he slipped the golden card back into his pocket and continued forward, the faint sound of the crowd fading behind him.
The path ahead opened into a vast courtyard paved with white stone tiles.
Beyond it, a series of tall, imposing structures stood—each one built from grayish stone and brick, their exteriors polished smooth and gleaming faintly in the sunlight.
The buildings rose high into the air, with tall spires piercing the blue sky above.
At the center of each spire hung a large white flag, its fabric swaying gently in the breeze.
Upon each flag was the same crest he had seen earlier—a circular emblem depicting a roaring dragon coiled protectively around a sword.
The emblem’s design was intricate and majestic, the dragon’s form almost lifelike under the sun’s glow.
Damien’s gaze lingered on it for a moment, his blue eyes narrowing slightly.
’Evergreen Spire Academy...’ he thought.
Meanwhile, Stanley’s eyes widened as he stared through the opened entrance of the academy gates.
His gaze was fixed on Damien’s back as the other boy walked farther inside, the golden invitation card still lingering in his mind.
’A... golden card?’ Stanley thought, his expression tightening. ’He also has one?’
For a moment, he simply stood there in silence, his lips parting faintly in disbelief.
Then his face twisted into a deep, irritated frown.
’I thought I was the only one with a golden card...’ he thought bitterly, his eyes narrowing.
He clenched his jaw slightly, recalling his earlier plan—the grand entrance, the light, the sword, the attention, and of course, the perfect moment when he would dramatically reveal the golden invitation he had received upon his awakening.
In his mind, that would have been the final stroke, the perfect scene to earn him admiration, awe, and endless praise from everyone watching.
But that plan had just been ruined before he even got the chance to show it off.
Damien’s appearance had completely stolen the moment from him.
The golden card he had intended to reveal as his own ultimate show of prestige had already been revealed by someone else!
’Tch... damn it!’ Stanley cursed inwardly, his teeth grinding softly as he glared at the gate where Damien had disappeared.
He knew that if he showed his golden card now, it would still earn him attention and praise—but it just wouldn’t hit the same way.
The shock and surprise, the gasps of admiration, the awe in everyone’s eyes... all of it would be dulled, because now, he would only be the second to possess one.
The thought made his stomach twist unpleasantly.
His expression darkened further, and his eyes gleamed faintly with frustration.
’Who the hell is he...?’ he thought, his hands clenching into tight fists. ’Why does he keep stealing my shine?!’
He glared once more toward the academy gates, muttering lowly under his breath, "I’ll need to take care of him... and fast..."
He didn’t even realize how tightly he had clenched his fists until the sound of his own knuckles cracking reached his ears.
His smirk was faint, but there was something sharp and malicious beneath it.
"Ohh... hi..." his attention was broken by the soft, nervous voice of a girl coming from his side.
His eyes widened, his expression softening up almost immediately as he turned towards her.
’So beautiful!’ he thought, his cheeks turning red as he stared at her.