A Glimpse of Dawn and a Path to the Academy

As the dawn sunlight crested over the towering peaks and settled upon the small entrance of The Backstreet Inn, the bell, signaling the start of a new day, chimed from afar. Simultaneously, several white magical doves soared across the sky above the street.

Freya gently pushed open the weathered wooden door of the inn, casting a quick glance outside. Then, she stepped forward, immersing herself in the biting cold wind.

“Mmm~”

Spreading her hands, she stretched her arms wide, tilting her head back to gaze at the rising sun. Golden rays bathed her fair skin.

‘So warm and cozy~’

Gently, she shook her long hair, purer than freshly fallen snow, as the corners of her lips curved upward, revealing charming dimples. “Yes, another day full of hope,” she murmured.

Bathed in the pristine light, she became the most dazzling presence on the street at that moment.

A gentleman hurrying towards the Mage Association cast an inadvertent glance, his eyes instantly captivated, unable to tear away from her. Such was his distraction that he collided with a sturdy stone statue, tumbling heavily to the ground and nearly knocking out his front teeth.

A newsboy, peddling copies of [Mondstadt Happenings], was in the midst of delivering a paper to a family’s mailbox when he heard the commotion and instinctively turned his head. Upon seeing the beautiful figure, as if she had stepped out of a church fresco, he froze by the mailbox, maintaining his delivery posture like a statue.

A crisp chime of a door opening bell echoed, and a mage residing there stepped outside. She noticed the newsboy standing motionless, still holding [Mondstadt Happenings]. Frowning, she retrieved the newspaper meant for her own door from his hand, then followed his gaze to the captivating figure. Like him, she found herself unable to even blink.

It wasn’t just these few; many others, either subtly or overtly, cast gazes of awe, envy, jealousy, and even greed.

The beautiful girl, illuminated by the sun, wore a worn black cotton robe. Despite its age, the garment could not conceal the inherent beauty that radiated from her very core.

A few snowflakes drifted onto her equally dark hair, melting into shimmering white strands. The brilliant morning light formed scattered patches on the ground, and the girl stepped back and forth across these luminous spots, seemingly awaiting someone.

The already sparse street grew eerily quiet, and even the hurried passersby slowed their pace.

Completely oblivious to the gazes around her, Freya crouched down, cheerfully patting and shaping the snow at her feet into a small snowman.

Just as she was about to form the snowman’s head, a hand from behind grabbed the back of her collar, lifting her into the air.

“What was that for!”

Without a second thought, a hint of annoyance in her voice, she tossed the snowballed behind her head.

Thwack—

The snowball landed squarely on Roland’s forehead. He shook his face, dislodging the icy bits, and displayed an exasperated expression.

“Stop playing around. Let’s head towards the academy quickly. What if we’re late and miss something important?”

“Hmph,” Freya pouted. “It’s your fault for taking so long to come out! Alright, alright, I get it. Just put me down; I can walk by myself.”

Her feet touching the ground, Freya dusted the icy bits from her hands. She then slipped her hands into her side pockets, puffed out her cheeks, and tilted her head slightly, gesturing to Roland.

“You lead the way. You’ve been there before, so you should know the route.”

“Mm.”

Roland glanced at the people around them, seemingly struck by a thought. He then placed a hand around Freya’s waist, guiding her along.

Freya blinked blankly, not quite understanding Roland’s intention, yet she allowed him to lead her forward.

On the street, people, both men and women, cast fierce glares at the man who had stolen their goddess.

“Ahem… it’s just more convenient if I hold you like this; just follow my lead,” Roland awkwardly cleared his throat, leaning his head closer to Freya. “If you find it unsettling, I won’t do it.”

“Hmph~” Freya lowered her head, carefully watching the path, ensuring Roland couldn’t see her expression. “Just a little, it’s fine.”

Upon hearing her reply, Roland’s previously tense expression relaxed.

‘It seems some things have indeed changed…’

They traversed several streets and numerous intersections, observing many individuals heading to Grey Academy of Magic for the entrance examination. Among them were nobles in luxurious carriages, commoners in simple attire, seasoned adventurers, and even a young girl dressed like a nanny, all making their way to the academy.

“You’re drawing too much attention…” Unable to tolerate the numerous strangers staring at Freya any longer, Roland pulled up the Little Demon Lord’s hood, concealing her distinctive white hair.

“Is it a crime to be beautiful?” Freya deliberately made a face at Roland. “Pfft~ Are you happy now that I look a little uglier?”

Shaking his head helplessly, Roland scoffed lightly. “It’s not just your appearance. Haven’t you noticed that among all the people we’ve seen so far, there’s no one else with white hair besides you?”

Freya looked around once more, letting out a surprised ‘Oh,’ before nodding. “You’re right, why is that?”

“Because white hair is typically found only in those with elven lineage or… certain demonic bloodlines,” Roland explained. “Of course, one can also achieve the same effect by using alchemical dyes.”

“Elves, demons, huh…” Freya mused, touching her hair as she fell into thought.

After a short while, they rounded a street corner, and the view suddenly opened up before them.

Freya shielded her eyes from the glaring sun, allowing her pupils to adjust, then focused her gaze.

“Wow—”

With nothing obstructing her view, a magnificent plaza unfolded before her eyes. It was a vast, circular expanse spanning tens of thousands of square meters, teeming with people like a surging tide, surrounded by elegant multi-storied buildings. Looking further ahead, a colossal white wall and a resplendent golden gate stood prominently. A thousand meters beyond the gate, a glorious castle rose, upon which the morning sun was now ascending.

That was the iconic landmark of Grey Academy of Magic, [Dawn Castle].

The road leading to the castle was paved with hundreds of thousands of stone bricks, enchanted by high-ranking mages. Having endured a millennium of trials, it remained perfectly preserved. This broad, sun-drenched avenue was known as [Dawn Avenue]. It led directly to the gates of Grey Academy of Magic, their destination.

By now, the path from the plaza to the academy gates was choked with a massive, intimidating queue of applicants for the entrance exam.

“This, this…” Freya grimaced, pointing at the mile-long line. “How long will we have to wait in this queue—?”

“Hmph, silly girl,” Roland chuckled, ruffling Freya’s head and flashing a triumphant smile. “Did you really think I hadn’t considered this?”

He reached into his left pocket, producing two letters imbued with magical energy, and waved them before her.

“What are these?”

“Letters of recommendation from Master Rudios,” Roland replied, returning the letters to his pocket. “With these, we won’t have to queue with everyone else.”

He gestured towards a small, sparsely populated path near the academy entrance.

“Come on, let’s experience taking the back door today.”