Chapter 839: The Gathering of Young Mages

Third Person’s POVOutside the palace, the last traces of sunlight gradually disappeared beyond the frozen horizon.

Dark clouds slowly gathered above Ice Emperor City, and before long, the entire imperial capital was swallowed by the cold embrace of night.

By the time dawn arrived the following morning, not a single ray of sunlight pierced through the thick blanket of grey clouds hanging above the city.

The entire Ice Emperor City was shrouded beneath a dim, gloomy sky that made the already frigid atmosphere feel even colder and more oppressive.

Yet despite the weather, excitement had completely overwhelmed the city.

Outside the enormous gates of the New Moon Magic Academy, a massive crowd had already gathered.

Thousands of young mages filled the expansive square, and lively conversations echoed in every direction as groups of students excitedly discussed the unprecedented opening of the Glaciem Ice Abyss.

Gone were the neat academy robes they normally wore.

Instead, nearly every student had changed into practical adventuring attire, complete with weapons, storage pouches and rings, protective equipment, and supplies prepared for a prolonged expedition.

Most faces were filled with anticipation and excitement, and very few of them displayed genuine fear.

For the overwhelming majority of them, this would be their very first journey into a secret realm.

Many students stood together in small groups, enthusiastically discussing their plans, while others maintained serious expressions as they quietly finalized strategies with trusted companions before the expedition that had the potential to change their futures forever.

Among the numerous groups scattered throughout the crowded academy square stood a timid-looking young girl wearing round spectacles.

She nervously clutched the strap of her small satchel while standing beside a slim black-haired girl lazily occupying one of the stone benches lining the square.

Unlike everyone else, the black-haired girl appeared utterly uninterested in the bustling atmosphere surrounding her.

She leaned comfortably against the backrest with one leg casually crossed over the other, her chin resting lazily upon one hand.

Her sleepy black eyes wandered aimlessly across the gathering students as though none of the excitement filling the academy managed to stir even the slightest interest within her.



The timid girl, however, was the complete opposite.

She repeatedly adjusted her spectacles while anxiously looking around the square every few seconds, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting together.

Unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, she finally looked towards her companion.

"Hey... Lina."

Her voice carried obvious nervousness.

"How are you still so calm?"

"We’re about to enter one of the most dangerous secret realms in the entire Northern Glacial Region..."

"I can barely stop my legs from shaking."

Lina merely blinked lazily and didn’t even bother answering.

Instead, her wandering gaze suddenly stopped upon a familiar figure walking through the academy gates.

For the first time that morning, a small smile appeared on her otherwise indifferent face.

She immediately raised one hand and waved enthusiastically.

"Hey, Aurelia!"

"Come over here!"

The timid girl instinctively turned around upon hearing Lina call out.

Walking calmly through the crowd was a beautiful young woman with flowing crimson hair tied neatly behind her back in a ponytail, and bright emerald-green eyes that remained as serene as ever.

Unlike the majority of students still wearing decorative academy attire beneath their cloaks, Aurelia had already changed into practical hunting clothes suitable for prolonged exploration.

A long green cloak rested over her shoulders, while a finely crafted magical sword hung quietly at her waist.

Despite the excitement filling the square, her expression remained remarkably composed.

Soon, she arrived before the two girls, and a trace of surprise appeared in her beautiful eyes.

"Oh, it’s you."

She naturally recognized Lina immediately.

After all, it had been this seemingly lazy girl who had unexpectedly spoken against Sharon Lucerra inside the classroom the previous day while everyone else had remained silent.

Lina lazily stretched before looking directly at Aurelia.

"Wanna form a group with us?"

She asked the question so casually that it almost sounded as though she were inviting Aurelia to share lunch rather than enter an ancient realm where countless people were expected to lose their lives.



Aurelia remained silent for a brief moment.

Her calm expression revealed nothing.

However, standing beside Lina, the timid girl nearly fainted.

Her face instantly turned pale.

Lina!

Have you lost your mind?!

She screamed inwardly.

Aurelia wasn’t simply another student.

She had practically become one of the academy’s most infamous figures overnight after openly making an enemy of Sharon Lucerra.

The thought alone made cold sweat appear upon the timid girl’s forehead.

It was at that moment that all three of them instinctively turned their heads toward the same direction, as they could clearly feel a gaze filled with unmistakable hostility piercing straight toward them.

The timid girl followed that feeling, and the moment her eyes landed upon the source, her soul nearly left her body.

Standing amidst a large group of nobles several dozen meters away was none other than Sharon Lucerra.

A cruel smile slowly spread across Sharon’s beautiful face as her sharp eyes remained fixed upon Aurelia without blinking even once.

The timid girl’s entire body began trembling.

She had originally planned to survive this expedition by becoming as inconspicuous as possible.

The Glaciem Ice Abyss was already dangerous enough on its own.

Who knew how many terrifying magical beasts, ancient traps, and unknown dangers lurked inside that forgotten world?

Moreover, there would be countless academy students, selected outsiders, and even professors participating in the expedition.

Once inside, the academy’s rules would effectively cease to exist.

Without teachers watching over them or punishments waiting afterward, many old grudges would undoubtedly be settled inside the frozen realm.

People would die, and most would not die from the dangers of the realm, but because of each other.

Knowing her own limitations, the timid girl had already decided long ago that she would avoid every possible conflict and quietly search for whatever opportunities she could find by clinging to Lina.

Yet now, simply because Lina had invited Aurelia over, she suddenly found herself standing directly within Sharon Lucerra’s line of sight.