Michael and Rudy made it to the great hall without any issues. As they walked through the doors, a few disinterested glances were cast their way, but the people quickly turned their attention back to their food.

As Blake had mentioned, the long tables dominated the great hall. However, compared to the previous night, fewer than half of the students had decided to get up early for breakfast.

"How do we get food?" Rudy asked, his eyes scanning the hall, searching for any sign of where they might need to go—perhaps an adjoining kitchen, a server, or something else.

"You two are first-years?" an older teen asked from nearby, his tone formal. The guy's posture was as rigid as a spear, and his clear blue eyes assessed them, though they were partially covered by his fringe.

Michael nodded, unsure of what the teen wanted from them.

"Go take a seat and send some mana into your emblem," the older teen instructed. "You'll be able to order food based on what dorm you were assigned to." He gestured to the side for them to continue.

Hmm? This isn't just a mark? Michael thought, pulling back his cuff and examining his violet emblem with curiosity.

He noticed the older student stiffen the moment the emblem was revealed.

The teen cleared his throat. "T—the academy emblem acts as a student ID," he explained, almost nervously. "But it's far more sophisticated. Not only does it contain all of your personal information and class schedules, you can also access the Arcadia network by infusing mana into it."

"Arcadia network?" Michael asked, intrigued. He'd never heard of such a thing.

"Yes, the Arcadia network is quite something. You can purchase items from the academy store, review class materials, browse the library, and a host of other useful things. It would be best if you see for yourself," the guy said, his tone now much more respectful.

"I will, thank you…" Michael replied, looking for a name tag, but it was clear the guy didn't have one.

"Oh, ah—my name is Jason. I'm a third-year," he said with a nervous smile.

He's a student? A third-year, at that… Michael blinked in disbelief. The guy was wearing a uniform, but his demeanor seemed more suited to a staff member assisting first-years.

Perhaps it was because of how respectful he had been.

Michael led Rudy past the third-year and found an open spot at one of the long tables, taking a seat.

"That guy was nice," Rudy commented.

"Yeah… but only after he saw our emblems," Michael replied, now more acutely aware of the differences in status between the dorms.

"So what did he say? We just send mana into the emblem and order our food?" Rudy asked, leaning forward.

"Mmm, give it a try."

Michael did the same, sending a stream of his red mana into the violet emblem on the back of his right hand. The moment he did, he almost jumped in shock.

"Whoa! What is this?" Rudy exclaimed, eyes wide with astonishment.

In front of him, a translucent display appeared, showing all of his personal information—along with an unflattering picture of himself.

It listed his name, height, weight, and birthright rings, as well as his potential as an Arcanist mage. It also displayed his dorm status and noted that he was a class representative.

This thing is really in-depth... It even has my shoe size, he thought with a mix of awe and amusement.

"Oh wow, you can turn the page," Rudy announced.

Michael tried to turn the page as his friend suggested and was met with another window, this one showing different menus: Network, Library, Cafeteria, Class Schedule, Mission Board. His curiosity was piqued.

To think there was such a system at the academy...

"Oh yes! Pancakes!" Rudy's loud voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Shhhh," Michael hissed, his eyes darting around the hall.

Rudy's outburst caused a ripple of disturbance within the great hall, drawing annoyed stares from the nearby students. Some openly glared at him, creating a tense atmosphere.

Rudy quickly shrank back, whispering, "Yes, pancakes."

Michael couldn't help but chuckle, deciding to look at the cafeteria menu for now. He had plenty of time to explore the other features later.

How do I click something?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the cafeteria menu opened, displaying the dishes available for breakfast.

Huh? I can manipulate it with my mind?

Michael marveled at the emblem's ingenuity. Not only did it store all his information down to the finest detail, but it also seemed to connect to his mind, functioning at lightning speed.

How are they doing this? And how will the kitchen know what I ordered?

His thirst for knowledge grew stronger with every moment. He wanted to understand how this system was made and how it worked.

But he quickly calmed himself. Baby steps, Michael... I've still got four years at the academy, he reminded himself.

He browsed the menu and chose a simple meal: ham, eggs, and two slices of bread. There was no price attached to the meal, which he was grateful for.

Having worked as a butler for the past three years, Michael had saved a small amount of money. But it wouldn't be enough to last through four years at the academy.

Shortly after, a young woman dressed neatly approached their table, gently placing their plates in front of them before giving a small bow and returning to where she'd come from.

"Oh… I thought it would just magically appear in front of me like last night's feast," Rudy admitted, sounding slightly disappointed.

Michael chuckled. "I doubt the headmaster would have enough time to use space magic for every individual meal throughout the day."

"Why? Is it hard magic to do?" Rudy asked innocently.

It was clear from his tone that Rudy wasn't joking—he truly seemed like a novice when it came to magic. If not for his potential, Michael doubted Rudy would have even passed the entrance exam.

"Yeah, only the top mages can perform it since the spells are so complicated. You'll find out soon enough just how difficult magic is, my friend," Michael said, nudging him. "Now, let's eat. Our first class is Mana Theory."

The two enjoyed a pleasant breakfast together before their real journey as students would begin.

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