The melody produced by the ensemble of four different instruments carried a faint air of grandeur. The candles in the candelabras floating above the four lavish long tables ignited one after another, replacing the light of the Magitech Lamps.
The entire hall instantly dimmed a shade, but gained a touch of magic.
The students' chatter dropped away in an instant.
DONG!
The seven o'clock evening bell rang punctually, echoing through the Castle for a long while.
At the teachers' table, the formally dressed professors appeared one after another and took their seats.
On the other side of the stage, the new students had already entered under Professor Sylph's lead.
The dozen or so at the front lifted the curtain and entered, their eyes wide as they looked upon the hall gathered with a thousand people, their faces brimming with excitement.
The house-sorting ceremony had begun!
The singing drifting through the hall suddenly became flowing and prolonged, sacred hymns pouring forth from horn-shaped instruments.
As the familiar song began, the students instinctively raised their heads to look toward the stage.
As if it had been waiting especially for this moment, the pitch-black velvet curtain, soft and silky as velvet, slowly parted beneath everyone's gaze.
Saint Marian Academy's most beautiful and noble lady—Principal Cynthia Saint Arte—stepped onto the stage from behind the parted curtain.
The Nine Great Spirits surrounding her flew forward, conjuring flowers and fireflies that dyed the entire stage in a dreamlike, beautiful splendor.
Countless candles floating in midair rose and fell like waves in time with the song's melody.
Candlelight shone upon golden plates and silver goblets, refracting hazy, rainbow-colored light that seemed as unreal as a dream.
"Welcome to Saint Marian Academy!"
Those words of welcome, repeated countless times, made every upperclassman feel as though they had