[Eon's POV: ]
His voice was unique but as he talked to us, everyone just looked at him, at his unique face that they first feared for a moment, with awe in their eyes.
It was charismatic and mind-pleasing so all the students were looking at him with awestruck looks and he too looked around the wide area filled with students.
His roots were covering a huge area of the island already and he could scan us with his roots and branches that we were standing under so it wasn't actually like he was looking at us with those two eyes that had come out of his trunk.
They were there just so that things are easier or 'for show' would be better words too.
Anyway, the profound tree didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the main thing that everyone was here for.
[[ Haha. I am and will be here for at least a thousand more years so small talks can happen any time you all want.
I love talking to new people as well as any new beings or even the old fellas that have been talking with me for decades or centuries or probably even millenniums, Haha.
I like talking, so let us start with the introductions, new young ones. ]]
And as soon as he said that, a unique door materialized in the trunk right before us and as it opened, a dark passage became visible.
The door itself was gorgeous and while it happened at that moment, the vice headmaster also got in front of the materialized door with a simple-looking magic paper in her hand.
"Please step forward when I call your names." She said in a strong voice while holding the paper before her face and a new wave of excitement passed among the students present under this magnificent tree as even Rein cheered up while holding my hand.
This was exciting for them and I was the same as I was looking forward to what house everyone will be assigned to.
'We would all be in different houses, playing for different teams, and up against every one of the others during all the extracurricular activities that would take place alongside the school during our time here.
It would be fun but one thing is concerning me a little right now.'
With my third eye, I looked some distance away from my location and glanced at Zoe who stood with Carla, Alf, Chry, Prince Alph, and a certain normal-looking fat boy that she and Chry met during the exam.
He looked normal but that commoner boy had some pretty interesting secret.
The house gaining him would definitely have a good advantage if they can use him well… and probably that was the very reason Zoe kept him with them.
Anyway, Zoe was a worrisome factor here.
The ancient tree can read the stats and status windows of people but it could only estimate things about those who did not have a status window to begin with.
'And being a divine beast, she not only didn't have a status window but she was also a true descendant of a high phoenix, meaning the talent, skills, abilities, powers, knowledge, and experience she possessed were impossible to measure even by someone like this ancient tree before us.'
I don't know how he would assign her a house but if I can, it would be better to have her in the same one as me.
However, it wasn't in my hand, and the event had already started.
"Claudius." She called the first name and everyone cheered loudly as the prince walked out of the crowd in his royal clothes, his light indigo hair fluttering with the calm winds and his calm golden eyes sparkling with profound light.
He walked straight inside the passage and the gates closed behind him, filling the crowd with expectations and excitement.
[[ Hmm… intriguing. You are still young and the world is wider than you think. Probably this very place will be the destination you were searching for.
Hmm, alright. ]]
The gates opened and he walked out with the same calmness as the huge face on the tree trunk smiled happily.
[[ True dragons! ]]
"Yeah!!"
"I knew it!"
"You are amazing Prince Claudius!"
Many of them cheered up while many from different nations who didn't have a favorable relationship with the Roxana empire made a distorted face. Still, they all also acknowledged his abilities, and from how he was first in the rankings in the entrance exam, they had no choice but to acknowledge his abilities.
But that was that, and just like the first one, the names continued to be called and people continued going in that special space where the ancient tree appraised them for a better decision-making process.
It was three in the afternoon when we started and it should have taken a long time to assign houses to all the four-thousand-plus people in this place but the process itself was quick and the vice headmaster called out many names at once in some cases too so there were sometimes small and long lines of students before the gate.
We sat around the garden if we were bored with the process and after Prince Claudius, there weren't many noteworthy people.
There were many that got the house of their choice and also who were disappointed to be assigned to the one they didn't wish to.
In most cases, they wanted to be a part of [True dragons], and most if not all of them didn't want to be part of the [Wisdom phoenix] for some reason.
The houses didn't matter much on the inner level anyway, you were just a student here. Someone who attends the institution for learning and honing their skills and knowledge.
Anyway, that were just normal things.
Of twelve prodigies, Claudius, Xlor, and Drowslotm got in [Blue dragon]; Princess Isabella and my little Alf got in the [Fascinated mages]; Hide and Lady Janet was in [Fusion stardust]; Deleon and Princess Luna were assigned to the [Dark society]; Miss Mia was assigned to the [Wisdom phoenix] while Sir Newtine was assigned to the [Turtle defenders].
'And now it was Carla's turn…'
My big sister who prohibited me from calling her big sister now stood before the gates as the sun which wasn't visible from the garden we were sitting in started its journey back to its home.
She was calm, and her long red hair tied in a bun behind her increased the attractiveness of her pretty clothes that I had enchanted with great care.
It was a nice, comfortable outfit that mostly swordsmen wore during training but it was attractive and comfortable so she loved it.
'And it also doesn't get dirty thanks to my special enchantment so she loves it so much that she mostly only wore that thing all the time.'
That was my big sister but her face had her usual calmness while she passed through the doors.
She definitely wanted to face Alf, the other strong ones, Rein and me at once so she was naturally going to request the house that was the best for those things and the ancient tree had a smile on its face as soon as those doors closed behind her.
[[ Another fool I see. Hmm? Hmmm… nice. I like that pure heart and burning flames of yours. You can lead the [True dragon] quite well if you wish. Yes, that boy is good but you are suited for that position the best in my opinion.
Hmmm… really? You don't say… alright I accept.
Meet me again when you have time. I will tell you a fun story. ]]
And after that, the gates opened and Carla came out with a triumphant smile on her face.
'Looks like she made some kind of deal with him. Hehe, she has learned some pretty good things from us.'
[[ Aqua mirror! ]]
The ancient tree announced with a joyous expression and shocked everyone once again.
It was different from what it had said a moment ago to so many people, who looked up to her as the best swordsman among them, and knew for certain that she would go to [True dragon].
They believed it to the end but at the announcement from the ancient tree, their mouths were left wide open, and they just stared at her rare smiling face.
She was strong and she had grown stronger, sharper, and nobler than many students present here.
She had a long way to go though and this academy was going to help her a lot in her growth.
'Still, she will have fun for most of the parts while she is here.'
It will be fun for most of us too so I was also looking forward to how things go.
"Chryses." The Vice headmaster shouted again after some time and it was Chry's turn now.
I had some idea where he would go but this time, it was thankfully just as I had thought.
[[ Eternal tigers! ]]
And on that announcement, the groups belonging to that house cheered up loudly, overjoyed on gaining not one but two of the top rankers from their batch!
Gabriel the elven archer was also in that house so they were finally going to have a good chance of pushing their rankings higher.
Everyone knew it was going to be a fun year this time and I agreed with every one of their excitement too. But then I was suddenly worried because something I wasn't hoping to happen, happened anyway.
"Zoe."
Zoe was called before me and I just stared as she came forward, assured me that she would be fine through our unique connection, and went inside the gates after looking in the direction of my third eye and giving me a warm smile.
She, as always, knew that I was worried thanks to our unique bond but I also felt the confidence and clearness she possessed as she walked in that gate so I was a little less worried after that.
But then the ancient tree suddenly quieted down for a moment and then smiled mysteriously through the giant face on its trunk.
[[ Wisdom phoenix! ]]
The gates opened and she came out with a smile, giving a thumbs up in our direction as well as smiling bitterly at Carla and Alf who looked at her with betrayed expressions.
She didn't ask for the same houses as any of them and went to one different from both of them.
Now I had more chances to get the same house as hers and I was going to do just that. And to do that, I also had something that will definitely be pretty useful while talking with him.
Now I was looking forward to my chance with an excited heart however, Rein was also before me this time.
"Uriel."
Vice headmaster Oddfrid called out her name and after a small kiss on my cheeks, she quickly used her movement skill that seemed like [Blink] to the others and reached the doors of the gate.
'What house will you join now, my dear lady daring?'
It would be fun to see which house she chooses and depending on her choice, I would also have a rough idea of how I will have to plan things for the extracurricular activities that we will have after our school hours.
It was going to be fun in many ways but depending on her choice, things were going to change.
And not only I, but Carla, Alf, Zoe, Alph and even Chry were also looking forward to her answer with anxiously beating hearts now…
